#i definitely need practice drawing trees

[slaybestieslay946]

Oh me gosh can you please do a Luke Castellan x reader fic where he’s just so head over heels for her but she’s so clueless and everyone keeps trying to get her to notice but she won’t and like they’re bests friends🤗🤗

tysm for ur request! if you don't mind I tweaked it a bit so its annabeth and percy trying to set up Luke and reader! hope you enjoy!

KISS THE GIRL

word count: 2000

pairing: Luke Castellan x poseidon!reader

warnings: none!

a/n: Even though this is a daughter of poseidon fic, its not part of my future au! for Luke.

MASTERLIST

Percy and Annabeth were standing at the edge of the amphitheatre, talking about something mindless when they spotted you and Luke walking towards the entrance, seeming deeping engaged in conversation. 

Annabeth watched as you laughed at something Luke said and a light blush tinged his cheeks, and she couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Could he get any more obvious?

“Oi, Perce,” She whispered, “Are you seeing what I’m seeing?” She asked, nudging him to look in the direction of the pair of you. 

“Yeah, I see my sister with Luke, what about it-” It appeared the realisation finally struck him, “Oh my god, are they-?” 

“I don’t know. He’s definitely into her, I know that.” Annabeth mused, inspecting the pair as they grabbed two wooden swords and began sparring together, laughing as they repeatedly dodged and side-stepped the other. 

“He told you that?” Percy asked, his eyes practically bulging out of his head. 

“Well, no. But it’s pretty obvious, don’t you think?” 

Annabeth then gasped in realisation, startling Percy slightly before he realised it was just another one of her epiphanies. 

“We should get them together!” 

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? Isn’t that something you leave up to Aphrodite kids?” Percy asked hesitantly. 

“Battle strategy and romantic strategy aren’t all that different.” She shrugged, before dragging him off to draw up new ‘romantic’ battle plans with her. 

STAGE 1: CONFRONT LUKE

Annabeth’s strategy wasn’t all that complicated, and she was pretty certain the most difficult part would be getting Luke to admit his feelings. But, as it turns out, he cracked pretty quickly. 

“Alright, you got me.” He sighed, holding his hands up in surrender, “I do like her, but can you blame me? I mean, she’s so smart, and beautiful, and kind, and-”

“That’s enough lover boy. Cool it.” Percy said, cutting him off with a groan. As much as he had given Annabeth his blessing to go along with this crazy plan, he still didn’t want to hear Luke gushing about how hot his sister is. 

“Sorry man.” Luke chuckled awkwardly, before the pair of boys turned back to Annabeth to lead the conversation. 

“So, now that you’ve admitted it, we need to start brainstorming how we’re gonna get you guys together.” She said, clapping her hands together and producing a roll of paper, with a long list of ideas that she promptly began to read out. 

The list ranged from pretty normal things like ‘take her out on a picnic’ to insane stuff like ‘bring her a monster's head as a gift’. Luke wasn’t so sure you would be a fan of that one, but he had to admit all the other items were pretty good ideas. 

“So what do you suggest, Annie? Work our way down the list?” Luke asked, and his little sister nodded, before outlining which ones she thought would be best. 

“We should start small, you don’t wanna freak her out,” She consulted the list again, thinking to herself, “Ah, here we go, ‘Give her a compliment’.” 

“Ok, I think I can do that.” Luke grinned, his head immediately flooded with things that he loved about you. 

“Just don’t make it weird, or I’ll revoke my blessing.” Percy grumbled, his arms crossed as Luke laughed sheepishly again. 

“Will do.”

STAGE 2: START SMALL

The next week mostly consisted of Annabeth and Percy spying on you and Luke at any possible moment. 

The first of his tasks, to give you a compliment seemed to go well. The pair of preteens watched on from their spot behind a tree as the pair of you separated to go to dinner, and Luke complimented your hair. You blushed slightly, and smiled widely, before rushing off to your own table in the dining pavilion. 

Luke quickly whipped around to look at Percy and Annabeth who gave him enthusiastic thumbs ups. 

His next task was to give you a small gift, and he decided that it should take the form of the matching charm bracelets he made with the younger kids. Annabeth and Percy sat with him as he deliberated over specific colours and shapes of bead, until they were nearly sick of his equivocation. 

But, as much as watching him make it was downright annoying, Percy had to admit the way you both wore your charm bracelets everyday afterwards was pretty cute. 

The final task of the week was to bring you flowers, and that whole day Luke could be seen wading through fields of wildflowers looking for the perfect ones to add to his bouquet. This was then snuck onto your nightstand later that night by Percy, who over the course of the week had become very invested in your blossoming relationship, a fact he would deny to the ends of the earth. 

STAGE 3: ESCALATE

“Alright Luke, time to bring out the big guns.” Annabeth announced, before clearing her throat and reading the list of tasks for the week. 

‘Sit at her table during dinner’

‘At least one compliment a day’

‘One instance of arm-around-the-waist contact’

This was the point at which the Hermes boy began to get slightly nervous. The other stuff before could be pretty easily written off as friendly, but sitting at someone's table at dinner? Only couples did that. 

“Are you sure that’s not moving too fast, I mean-”

“Luke Castellan, don’t be so damn pathetic! Grow some balls, before someone else steals your girl!” Annabeth exclaimed, whacking him over the head with the list. 

He nodded, “Yes Ma’am.”

From then on, he was pretty much unwavering in his determination. He sat at your table every mealtime, slinging an arm around your shoulder, or your waist. Anytime you came up with a capture the flag strategy, he’d praise you intelligence, anytime he saw you, he greeted you with a ‘Morning beautiful’ or a ‘Hey sweetheart’. 

Annabeth and Percy were shocked with his sudden progress, but pretty impressed with the way it was going. At this point, the pair of you were practically dating. 

The only minor setback came in the form of your complete and utter cluelessness. 

Percy had decided to test the waters with you, and gently float the idea of you getting together with Luke. 

“You’ve been spending loads of time with Luke at the moment.” He remarked casually as you both walked back to cabin 3. 

“You’ve just noticed I spend time with my best friend? Well done kid.” You laughed, ruffling his curly blonde hair. 

“That’s not what I meant.” He rolled his eyes, ducking out of your grasp. 

“Then what did you mean?” You asked, hands on your hips, a confused expression on your face. 

“I meant like, you guys being ‘involved’.” He shrugged, trying to make it sound as nonchalant as possible while looking out for your every reaction. He was unreasonably invested at this point, but oh well. 

“What?!” You exclaimed, your voice suddenly going higher pitched, “Nah, no chance! Luke would never.” 

Percy had to stop his jaw from dropping to the floor. It would’ve made sense if you denied having feelings for him, but to be so oblivious of how whipped that boy was for you? He thought you were smart. 

“Yeah, sure. I guess so.” He shrugged once again, before swiftly changing the subject. 

STAGE 4: KISS THE GIRL!!

“Guys, we have a problem.” Percy said, bursting in on Luke and Annabeth’s conversation the next morning. 

“What?” The pair asked in sync, concerned expressions on their faces. 

“Y/N is an idiot.” 

“Woah, don’t say that about her-” Luke began, desperate to defend your honour, but was cut off by Annabeth’s harsh glare. 

“What do you mean, Perce?” She asked, her tone level. 

“Luke, man, she has no clue you like her. Like she is convinced it’s impossible.” Percy explained, and Annabeth’s expression also grew confused. 

“Gods, she really is dumb.” She sighed, ignoring Luke’s chiding at insulting you, “We’re gonna have to really turn it up a notch. Luke, it’s time to really bring out the big guns.”

For the next few days, Luke, Annabeth and Percy spent most of their time rushing around preparing for Annabeth’s so-called ‘masterstroke’. 

And then, after much hard work from the trio, it was ready, and Luke was whisking you away from the campfire to the surprise he had prepared for you. 

“Luke, where are we going?!” You laughed as he dragged you along by the wrist, a piece of cloth tied around your head to block your vision. 

“You’ll see.” He chuckled, gently directing you around a tree root as he led you deeper into the forest. 

“I swear, if you’re kidnapping me I am not going to be happy.” You teased that infectious smile he loved so much covering your face. 

“No, no kidnapping tonight.”

You continued to joke around together as he led you towards his destination, until eventually you came to a halt, and he was untying the cloth around your face. 

You gasped in delight as you saw you were by the pier, and in front of you was a picnic blanket set up with all of your favourite food and drink. 

Immediately you grabbed him by the arm and led him to the blanket, thanking him all the way and gushing about how sweet and amazing he was. Meanwhile, Luke was trying not to pass out from the barrage of affection you were giving him. 

The pair of you quickly tucked into the meal, laughing and joking. But all the while, Luke was preparing his confession, and trying not to let his palms get too sweaty. 

Eventually, he decided it was time, and he made his move. 

“Y/N?” 

“Yeah?” You looked up at him with shining eyes, and he had to remind himself to breathe. 

“I’m in-” His love confession was cut off by the sudden boom of fireworks above you both, and he silently cursed himself for forgetting to organise a signal with Annabeth to start them. She really did have bad timing sometimes. 

“Oh my gods! Fireworks!” You exclaimed, nudging Luke to take a closer look, pointing out which ones were your favourites, and clearly any speculation about what Luke was going to say had escaped your mind. 

Eventually the display was over, and you turned to him yet again, gushing about how lucky they were that fireworks were out tonight. He couldn’t help but wonder how someone usually so smart could be so clueless?

“I organised the fireworks, Y/N.” He said, softly, placing his calloused hand over yours. 

“What, really?!” You blinked owlishly at him for a moment before furrowing your brows and asking, “Wait, how come?” 

Luke couldn’t contain his chuckle. 

“Isn’t it obvious by now? I’m in love with you. I’ve been trying to hint at it for weeks, but clearly I wasn’t being obvious enough.”

“What? Why?” You stammered, shock coating your face entirely. 

“Why am I in love with you?” He asked as if it was a stupid question, which to him it was, because he could list a million things that he loved about you. 

“Because you’re beautiful, and smart, and kind, and generous, and every time I see you I can’t help but smile because you're my best friend and I love you more than anything.” He rambled, wiping his slightly clammy palms on his cargos. 

“Now I’d really appreciate it if you’d put me out of my misery and reject me.” He said sheepishly, itching the back of his neck. 

But, of course, the rejection never came. Instead you were rushing forwards to hold his face in your hands and kiss him, slowly and deeply. 

And, about ten metres away, Annabeth and Percy could be seen high-fiving behind a tree, before skipping back to the campfire in glee.

#luke castellan x reader #percy jackson #percy jackon and the olympians #luke castellan #fluff #x reader #pjo #writing #fanfic #ask #clueless #reader is so silly #trace amounts of percabeth #percabeth crumbs

[chlorinecake]

Okay this is my first time doing one of these but could you do like how the enhypen members would react to seeing you practice their part in the choreography of one of their songs

「 ✦ enha reaction’s WHEN YOU LEARN THEIR PART IN A DANCE CHOREOGRAPHY ✦ 」

𓂃 𓈒 or when they see you dance for the first time

idol bf ! 엔하이픈 x non idol ! f. reader ⃘ 🎧

contains ∿ 🧋 pet names, kisses & teasing genre fluff, crack, est. dating 1192 words

𝐋𝐄𝐄 𝐇𝐄𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐔𝐍𝐆 ✴︎

He would be quite impressed honestly, taking pride in his sweet girlfriend wanting to mirror his talent in some way.

“You gotta get the head isolation down at this part, though,” he critiqued, putting a finger to his lips while dancing Sweet Venom.

“Well, if it looks wrong, blame yourself, because that’s who I’ve been copying this whole time,” you teased, poking him in the side of his waist and making him chuckle.

“Hmm… maybe your performance just needs a little bedazzling... Be right back!”

Your boyfriend ran out of the dancing studio, telling you to close your eyes once he came back before nestling a cowgirl hat atop your head like an angel on a Christmas tree.

You reacted immediately upon seeing your reflection in the mirror, a now smiley Heeseung standing behind your frame, “What?! Wait- When did you get this?”

Literally your face right now: 😭 

“People don’t call me an ace for nothing, babe. Now c’monnn, let’s dance together this time…,” he urged in a sing-songy voice, playfully tugging at your hands while spinning you around, “I wanna see my pretty cowgirl dance for me some more...”

𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐉𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐒𝐄𝐎𝐍𝐆 ✴︎

“Yeah, I literally have the world’s coolest girlfriend now…,” Jay huffed proudly, giving you a kiss on the crown of your head after catching you dance in the living room.

“Now? What do you mean now?!?!,” you asked offendedly, pouting at him slightly.

“This wasn’t exactly how I planned to bring this up, but are you ready to become my Mrs. Park?”

“I've been ready since the day we met, Jay,” you smiled, burying your face in his chest while hugging him, “But I would've danced your part in a song a lot sooner if I knew it'd get me a ring...”

“Oh? So a diamond is all you want me for now? Wowwww, babe-”

You gave him a look that automatically let him know you weren't too fond of the comment he just made, “Kidding” he said, ruffling your hair playfully, “I know you love me... enough to copy me, apparently.”

“Should we break out in synchronized dancing now?” You offered, playing Sacrifice Eat Me Up from the beginning on your phone.

“Yes… but only if you can keep up with me, of course.”

*Insert Jay's infamous Roblox smirk*

𝐒𝐈𝐌 𝐉𝐀𝐄𝐘𝐔𝐍 ✴︎

The definition of 🧍‍♂️when you pulled him aside to show off the new choreography you'd been working on for the past hour.

Goofy laugher pt. 1

“Is this actually happening right now?,” he asked while laughing shyly, just after you finished ✨performing✨ for him…

“What do you mean? D-did it look bad?,” you asked worriedly, part of your heart still feeling warm though from hearing his shy giggle earlier.

“No, no, you did great, it’s just… why my part?” He continued, hoping to draw the conversation in a different direction, given how flustered he truly felt.

“Because you look hot while doing it... I felt inspired,” you said cheekily, walking up to Jake and placing your hands on his chest, Jake’s hands wrapping around your waist as he looked back down at you.

“Babe, you can’t say stuff like that then act all playful without expecting my brain to short-circuit,” he sighed, face heating up as he looked back down at your giggling frame within the hug.

“Well, did I at least do your part in the dance any justice or did that make your brain-malfunctioning even worse?,” you pouted with puppy-dog eyes as if to persuade his anger, even though you already could tell he liked it.

“No, love… I'm just in shock, honestly... you did criminally well.”

*Insert second-hand embarrassment from Jake's corny ahh pun*

𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐆𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐍 ✴︎

Sunghoon was initially kinda salty about you having locked yourself up in the garage all morning on his day off, but all those feelings went away once he caught on to what you were up to.

“Hey, I didn’t say you could come in here,” you yelped, just as your boyfriend barged in the garage, catching you mid dance move.

You had been practicing Chaconne because you knew it was one of his favorite songs and you figured it'd cheer him to see you supporting his interests.

“Don’t mind me,” he started, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, “I’m just observing... please, continue.”

“God, Hoon, you’re embarrassing me,” you whined, covering your face from the way he was staring you up and down in this moment.

“It’s cute, though… watching you stress yourself out trying to dance like me when the pro's been one call away this whole time.”

The pro?, you thought to yourself, the self-proclaimed title being enough to snap you out of your bashfulness.

“I might’ve been practicing for a while, but I’m already doing some parts better than you,” you scoffed competitively, making him laugh at your words to the point where his dimples started showing.

“Cocky and shy? What an interesting combination… did you get that from me, too?”

𝐊𝐈𝐌 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐎𝐎 ✴︎

Sunoo smiled knowingly as he walked into the dance studio, grabbing a nearby rag to pat-dry the sweat on your face, “you’ve been avoiding me all day and working out like crazy, so what’s going on?”

“I’ve been working on this tough choreography, actually … but since you’re here, maybe you can help?”

“Oh, okay,” he chirped, watching as you started to dance out the steps to Fever, stopping when you got to the part you’d been struggling with.

“How do you do this part? It just looks so much better when you do it…,” your voice stalled as you saw his cheeks expand with a smile on the mirror, “SUNOO!?”

Goofy laugher pt. 2–

The guy was quite literally laughing his ass off at you right now, feeling both a mix of embarrassment and flattery at your actions.

He noticed you pouting, covering his mouth to stall his giggles before speaking, “I’m sorry babe, you just looked so cute while dancing, I couldn’t hold back!”

“It’s supposed to look sexy though,” you whined, knowing that it’d get him to hug you in response.

𝐘𝐀𝐍𝐆 𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐆𝐖𝐎𝐍 ✴︎

“So is this your new idea of teasing me?,” Jungwon asked upon getting back home from work, the first thing in sight being you in front of the TV, quite literally passing the mic to one of his fancams.

You audibly scoffed at his words, pausing the video and giving him a look, “This is hardly teasing, Wonie… just ‘cause I’m your girlfriend, it doesn’t mean I can’t fangirl over you from time to time…”

He sat his duffel bag on the ground, walking up to give you his usual ‘I’m home’ kiss and hug before responding, “Fine then… but you definitely need to keep practicing that footwork if you want me to take you seriously.”

“Heyyy,” you whined, playfully smacking his shoulder which only made him laugh at how adorable you look, “now who’s teasing?”

𝐍𝐈𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐌𝐔𝐑𝐀 𝐑𝐈𝐊𝐈 ✴︎

“Okay, I do not stick my butt out like that when I do it. Watch,” Niki corrected, initially having cringed upon catching you dance Bite Me, but had now turned your little activity into a whole ass dance-off.

“Yes, you 110% do... you always have to babygirl-ify the dance moves,” you replied matter-of-factly, starting from the pre-chorus and flipping your hair more than necessary just like him.

“I know you’re about to start spewing trash whenever you use made up words,” he scoffed with fake annoyance, trying to hide the smile tugging at his lips after seeing you dance so passionately.

“Stop, I can tell you’re smiling! Just admit that you’re impressed by me, Riki, and take the L… or W since you have a talented girlfriend…”

“Fine… you’re right… I am highly impressed… both by your dancing skills and choice of vocabulary,” he confessed playfully, giving you a side hug and kissing the top on your head.

“Maybe we should work towards debuting as a couple duo now... I just know that everyone would bias us…,” he thought out loud, making you giggle at his words.

tysm for reading this quick lil fic ✗⚬ﾒ𝟶 a/n ℓօⓥe always ⋆⋆⋆

𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 ( 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 💌 ) @squoxle @nikisdubblchococake @wonbinisbabygurl @ashgonedash @yourmomscuntis2tighy @watamotee33 @addictedtohobi @microwvdstrawb3rri3s

#𝐜𝐡𝐥𝐨𝐞’𝐬 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐬 🎂 #enhypen #enha scenarios #enhypen ff #enha imagines #enhypen headcanons #enha x reader #enhypen fluff #enhypen soft hours #enhypen x y/n #enhypen x you #enhypen x reader #enhypen reactions #enhypen soft thoughts #heeseung imagines #jay imagines #jake sim imagines #sunghoon imagines #sunoo imagines #jungwon imagines #niki fluff #enhypen nishimura riki #enhypen imagines #enhypen scenarios #enhypen headcannons #enhypen fic #enha fluff #jungwon x reader #jungwon smau

[andkisses]

♡ a good way | beomgyu ♡

despite the director casting you and beomgyu, your best friend, as the romantic leads, you both promise it won’t change anything between you

♡ beomgyu x gn!reader | wc. 9.1k ♡ genres/tropes: college!au, friends-to-loves, theater!au, hurt/comfort ♡ mentions of/warnings: injuries, lmk if there's anything else ♡ a/n: this is a rewrite of a fic i wrote and posted YEARS ago; unfortunately it was eaten up when i accidentally deleted my blog :’) it was originally for joshua from svt; i changed some of the times in the fic from the original, so if it’s a little wonky that’s why :’) pls enjoy ! <3 at the time it was my longest fic, now only second to roman holiday ^^ a/n 2: apologies for my absences ! i had some health issues even tho it was supposed to be my break :') im doing well now ^^

♡ masterlist ♡

It was strange. Weird. Practically unfathomable and there must be some kind of mistake. The play had those two characters as romantic leads. The ones who slowly turn to look at each other, catch the starry glint in the other’s eye before slowly leaning in, before slowly closing their eyes, before slowly feeling their heartbeat accelerate because oh heavens this is it—before slowly kissing each other for the first time with such tender passion some members of the audience start to cry.

Those roles were not ever meant for the ones who have been friends since seventh grade, where one of them accidentally tripped and tossed their lunch all over the other, rendering the former an apologetic mess and the latter slightly smelling of garlic for the rest of the day. Not for the ones who stayed up far too late binge watching whole seasons of anime because they finally turned in that big project and it’s in fate’s hands now. Definitely not friends who are each other’s best friends, always. Never them.

But when the director swings back to the two of you, the mischievous and excited glint in his eye is unmistakable. His giddiness even bubbles over and he repeats himself, happily gazing between you and the best friend of 8 years standing beside you. “Beomgyu, Y/N, you will be the best two leads this stage has ever seen.”

You don’t want to talk about it. You avoid it for as long as possible. Have every conversation about everything else possible except the one topic that actually needs discussion. The trees outside are slowly losing their crunchy leaves, littering the ground with crimson and gold and sprigs of chocolate in between. They rustle and fuss when walked over, and shuffle down the street in a hoard of warning, proclaiming threats of the bitter winds of winter that would soon approach and engulf everyone whole.

Some mornings, you can see remnants of late-night frost on window panes, icy designs laced over the glass in the early morning hours. The grass glistens and shimmers with frozen dew, and the sidewalk is slippery enough to encourage walking slowly or bypassing concrete altogether and walking through the dead leaves. Some nights, you can see your breath curl as you wait outside the diner, a translucent white beast disappearing into the night. As night draws darker earlier, the air grows colder, like a mysterious ghost. One moment, you’re warm—the next, a bitter chill sprints around you, immersing everything in a coldness that drills past your layers and settles into your bones.

But you’d wait a thousand years in the cold just to walk him home. You’d wait forever if it meant seeing him one last time before the day ended and blurred into the next through a series of dreams and quiet darkness.

Beomgyu is one of the last few people out of the diner; he never closes, but he stays as long as he can, helping out and cleaning before his boss gets angry and tells him to “go home! Don’t you have homework?” When he steps out onto the street, making sure to close the door behind him, he’s safely bundled up in a black pea coat and a plaid woolen scarf that, when wound up, nearly encompasses his neck, chin, and even the bottom tips of his ears. When he sees you waiting for him again, he smiles, eyes lighting up like firecrackers and his grin is so warm it starts to defrost your bones, slowly but surely.

“You know you don’t have to wait for me?” he says, falling in step with you as the two of you began the chilled trek back to your apartment.

“Yeah,” you shrug, “but then who will make sure you don’t get lost on your way back? Or, I don’t know, get eaten by a star-monster?”

“A star-monster?” He quirks his head towards you, raising his eyebrow in mild but amused confusion.

You nod your head. “What if the stars gang up on you and snatch you right off the face of the earth and you disappear into the sky? And no one knows or can save you because I wasn’t there? Hm?”

A bitter chuckle escapes his lips. The white curl of his breath fills the air in front of him before it fades, taking the bright look in his eyes with it. “Then I guess I wouldn’t have to be a part of the musical, would I?”

Silence washes over you like a breaking wave—it hurts and stings, knocking everything away and tossing the tiny ships around into chaos. The only sound now is the brush of the wind skirting the leaves down the street with you and the distant city noise. The heels of your shoes hit the pavement in time together, and your breaths slowly start to match up. But something’s off; you feel it in your heart and your bones begin to ache again as the cold ice returns once more, spreading their chilled fingers across them.

Somehow, you find your voice, but it’s quiet and small. “It couldn’t be that bad, could it?”

Beomgyu shrugs, looking anywhere but you. He throws his head back and stares up at the night sky, where the stars kindly twinkle back at him, almost as a promise of we’d never steal you away. You look up, too, but all you see is a menacing darkness that you’re not sure you can get rid of. It feels like it’s bearing down on you, pressing down on your head, your shoulders, and your heart. With it comes a dark doubt, one that oozes into the cracks of your armor and makes you start to question things. It beckons out the dangerous thoughts—the what ifs—and coaxes them into the light and forces you to acknowledge them. What if... this changes things. What if... it ruins things. What if...

“Y/N?”

Your gaze drops back down. Beomgyu stands a few yards ahead of you, in the light of one of the yellow streetlamps. You must have stopped while lost in thought, slowing down until you ended up stuck in between two lamps, in the shadowy part. “Hm?”

He shakes his head. “You just stopped walking.” He turns toward you completely and quickens his pace until he’s beside you again. The look on his face screams of concern, of wondering if his best friend is fine or if it’s something he can’t fix. He reaches out to take your hand in his. “Is everything okay?”

Your heart swells, but it still feels as if it will break, shatter, crumble at any time or place. It feels like porcelain, that if it isn’t handled with care and marked FRAGILE, it will ruin to the point that nothing can fix it. You know what question you have to ask; it’s weighing down on your tongue and you’ll have to force it out.

You gulp, and you can feel your hand shaking in his. Beomgyu’s eyebrows knit together, his starry eyes trying to search for what’s wrong. For what is in need of helping. You stare back at him, garnering the courage to ask the question that’s been plaguing you since roles had been assigned. “The show–it won’t change anything between us, will it?”

And then, he does something unthinkable.

He laughs.

Beomgyu lets go of your hand and bends over in half, practically cackling at the idea, whisker dimples on full display. When he stands back up again, he’s still laughing hard enough he crinkles into your frame, resting a hand on your shoulder and burying his head into your neck, an arm resting across his stomach. His body shakes with laughter, and it’s infectious. A grin slowly spreads across your face, and then a giggle works its way out until the two of you are both laughing like fools. You may be between two lampposts in the shadows, but there’s light where you are.

When the laughter finally subsides to gentle smiles, Beomgyu takes your hand again and tugs you close. He starts walking again, pulling you along, swinging your arms between the two of you. He knocks into your shoulder jokingly, and the both of you smile harder.  “Of course not,” Beomgyu says. His smile is pure, assuring. The hand in yours is warm, stable. “Nothing will ever change us.”

Seventh Grade.

The auditorium was full of anxious students, the buzz of noise telling the story of those who were waiting for their turn to shine on stage. The lights were turned on as bright as they would be for a performance, and the stage was decorated with real props from last semester’s performance, a steampunk rendition of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. No one thought the director could pull it off, but when the curtains closed for the last time that first showing, everyone was left starstruck and a new round of students was inspired to try out for the next performance.

A loud clap from the director thundered through the auditorium, signaling for attention and shocking you into your seat a little further. The red fabric bristled against whatever skin your sweater didn’t cover. Outside, the harsh winter weather pummeled the barren landscape, the dead, empty tree branches getting whipped by the bitter, unforgiving wind. The light dusting of snow made everything brighter, almost to the point it hurt to look out the windows at the white world. Inside, however, was full of warm tones and warm breaths. The heat of the auditorium practically had you sweltering, making you wish you had worn layers instead of a bright green sweater. The threads around the collar began to itch at your neck, and you tugged at the hem in search of relief. You really wanted to be here. You really wanted to audition. But the number of people and how long you’ve waited has started to play mind games with you. What if they don’t get to you today? What if they skip over you entirely for someone else? Someone with more theater experience from prior years than you, a complete newbie? What if—

“Hey, uh, is this seat taken?”

You looked up, still fiddling with your itchy collar. It was the boy from the day before—Beomgyu. The one who had accidentally tripped over someone else’s backpack and thrown his lunch all over you. He looked like a complete wreck, one hand holding onto the wrist of the other arm, his dark brown hair falling into his eyes as he struggled to even look in your direction. You shelf your own nerves and offer up a kind smile and pat the seat, which he hastily filled.

It’s quiet between the two of you for a while afterward. On stage, more students rotated through songs and performances, some spectacular and others a little lackluster. It was beginning to become monotonous, and your mind started to wonder if you had gotten here earlier, would you have already auditioned by now? But then something happened. A student walked on stage, introduced themselves politely, and then began to blow everyone and every other performance out of the water. The way they moved, spoke, sang—everything they did was captivating and you felt yourself leaning forward in your seat, drawing ever nearer to the practically perfect audition. There was no music playing in the background, but their vocals and stage presence was more than enough. The entire auditorium erupted in applause when the student on stage finished.

“Wow,” you breathed out. You’d practically fallen out of the chair—feet standing on tiptoes, elbows on knees, chin rested in your cupped hands with a shimmer in your eyes. That. You wanted to be like that. Bewitching, enchanting, and utterly spellbinding.

“I know right?” the boy whispered beside you. The two of you turned to look at each other, and somehow, in the back of your mind, you registered he was sitting the same way you were, looking completely and utterly enraptured with the previous performance. He stared into your eyes—the first time, you noted—and you could see the stars, like a secret milky way full of wonder. There was a serious note in them. “Let’s both do our best so when we grow up, we can be that good.”

“No.” You shook your head, and Beomgyu’s face collapsed into confusion. You shook your head again, this time with a mischievous grin spreading across your lips. “No, when we grow up, we’ll be way better.”

A murmur ripples around campus. Sophomore year of college, and all of high school behind you. You’d think you would be used to it by now, the way quiet words spread around so sneakily but somehow always managed to make their way to your ears, too. But when the girls in the bathroom see you and slyly turn away, whispering how you and Beomgyu have the romantic leads, how of course they do, you can’t help but feel the knot in your stomach form and twist your insides until you feel pressure on your heart as well. Until it feels like you’re about to burst and spill everywhere. You want to spin at them, throw your hands out, and tell them how it’s not like that! That there’s nothing between the two of you except for friendship, the purest of kinds! Stop thinking that way!

But the wiser part of you, the one that’s been through high school, knows that they would just nod their head and try to hide their smirk. You can’t change their minds; they’ll always be thinking and imagining what they want.

Outside, the halls teem with people trying to get to their next class or break. You debate on stopping by your locker near the theater—you won’t need your books again until you go home thanks to rehearsal, but it would be out of your way to get there, on the opposite side of the arts block. But your books are heavy. Really heavy. Like shoulder-breaking, premature back pain-inducing heavy. You find that your feet have started to take you through the crowds to your locker before your mind decides on the plan itself.

In middle school, your and Beomgyu’s lockers were practically as far as they could be from one another. Yours by the gymnasium and near the arts building and the theater. With your mismatched class schedules, you only got to see each other at lunch and for theater. As your friendship grew, he would let you borrow locker space. It got to the point where you basically co-owned each other’s lockers; everything for classes on his side of the building was in his locker and everything for classes on your side was in yours.

By the time high school rolled around two grades later, the two of you were inseparable. As were your lockers. His at one end of the hall, yours at the other end on the opposite side. This only caused trouble junior year, when the two of you had such a bad falling out you could hardly bare to walk past one another’s locker let alone the other person. You would end up taking roundabout ways to your own locker, which worked until you ended up running into him one day without warning.

But you don’t have that problem now. As you walk past Beomgyu, who’s standing by his locker talking to another theater kid, you lightly slug his shoulder. You turn to walk backward and catch his reaction, and he’s staring back at you with fake confusion and his arms thrown up in the air. “You’ll pay for that!” he calls after you.

“Yeah, yeah, sure I will!”

You reach your locker, a happy smile on your face, glad your best friend is the kind of person you can beat up on. You spin the lock with precision, ready to open the door, slam your books inside on the shelf, and hurry to the theater for rehearsals. You can’t wait to see what strange exercises the director would have up his sleeve today; last time, he had everyone stand on the steps in the audience and each time they recited a line correctly, they got to move up two steps. First to the top wins; you and Beomgyu tied for first.

When you pull out the lock and swing the door open, what you see ruins your mood instantly. The crisp, white, inch-thick script stares back at you with quiet remorse. Remember me? it seems to say. Don’t forget about me. You’re almost afraid to touch it, knowing exactly what it holds in its pages even without having read a single line. If your fingers were to graze it, it’s as if an electric shock would shoot out and stop your heart from ever beating again. A tiny part of you wonders if, if your heart really did stop beating, would Beomgyu come to your side and rescue you?

Or would it be like the other night, with a sharp, bitter laugh and a mild happiness over a forgotten kiss.

You’re jostled out of your stupor by a neat punch to your arm, and you fall back into your locker with a metallic clang. When your vision focuses back on the real world, you see Beomgyu walking away from you towards the theater with a confident smirk on his face. He throws out his hands, his smile growing even wider. “I told you, you’d pay for that!”

You’re smiling too, now, and you hurry and grab the script and race after him.

It will all be okay. The two of you had already talked about it, how nothing could change between you two. Regardless of what the girls in the bathroom would dare to say in front of you. Regardless of what anyone else on campus or your major are thinking. Regardless of the script that burns slightly in your grasp, the crisp paper threatening to cut tiny slices into your delicate skin. You and Beomgyu—inseparable best friends for the rest of time.

It would always be that way. No play, no roles, no romantic leads, would get in the way of that. You’d promised each other you’d be each other’s best friend, always.

Freshman year.

Sunlight streaming through the loosely drawn curtains was what woke you, lit patterns playing across your face. Your back ached from sleeping on a couch at a crooked angle for who knows how long. You stretched and tried to pull at your sore joints, attempting to return them to pre-crooked status. The room was still dark; the lamps were all off and the only other source of light was the television, where Netflix was playing some random anime you don’t remember ever selecting or talking about. Vague memories float up to the surface slowly as you finished waking up: you and Beomgyu had turned in a big semester final project that neither of you had thought would be finished on time but somehow managed to pull off. Deciding to get take out and stay up as long as possible watching as many seasons of anime as you could fit in and—

“Boo!”

Your scream echoed through the small dorm and you pulled at the blanket on top of you, trying to hide behind the soft, comforting quilt. On the other side of the couch was Beomgyu, laughing so hard he nearly rolled off onto the shag carpet rug. You half thought about being kind, and warning him to be careful because if he fell he could hit his head on the coffee table, but the other half said he scared you and deserved whatever happened next.

“How could you be so mean!” you whined, reaching behind you to grab a pillow to throw at your best friend’s face. “How long had you been planning something like that?”

Beomgyu paused his laughter to think. “Probably since I woke up about ten minutes ago. It would have been more elaborate, but then you woke up and I ran out of time.”

“You’ll pay for that, you know,” you muttered, drawing the blankets closer against your chest, where inside your heart still beating faster than usual.

“Even after helping you with that project and pay for dinner? On a college budget?” He paused for another moment, resting his chin between his thumb and the rest of his fingers. “Wait, pay for dinner... seems like I’ve already paid for it, Y/N.”

“Beomgyu!” You lunged forward, diving towards his end of the couch. Instead of a successful attack, you landed squarely in his arms, where he proceeded to tug you tightly against his chest. Escape, you soon realized, was futile. You’d have to talk your way out of this one. “Beomgyu, let me go. Now!"

“You know, you sure are whiney when you wake up,” he commented, rustling the hair atop your head. Your heart was still beating quickly and you were convinced the flush of your cheeks was due to large bouts of boiling hot rage streaming through your veins. “And why should I?”

“I would be in a nicer mood if you hadn’t scared me!” You tried to wriggle your arms up and pry your way out, but his grip was solid still, strong and warm. Since when was he ever this strong? His cheeks, you noticed, were warm and rosy as well, but that was from laughing too hard, you were sure. Why else would they be flushed?

“You may have a point…”

“Of course, I have a point! Now let me go!”

Mischief swam around with the stars in your best friend’s eyes. You could practically see the gears turning in his head, planning something you could only hope wasn’t entirely embarrassing. One eyelid dropped shut, and the smirk on his lips was unmistakable. “I will, but only if you pay for breakfast. From somewhere nice,” he rushes to add. “Student union doesn’t count.”

You released a terse sigh, resisting the urge to roll your eyes. “Fine! Deal! Now, release me!”

His arms slid away and you rolled over onto the floor, gently landing between the couch and the coffee table. The carpet was rough against your bare arms, but you were glad to be freed from Beomgyu’s death grip.

He was situated on the edge of the couch, chin resting lazily on his forearm, his eyes filled with mild shock and awe. “Really?” he gasped, as if he couldn’t actually believe you’d agreed. “Even if it’s the overpriced brunch food from the boutique down the street?”

You sighed, staring back at him.  “Yes. Even the brunch food from the boutique down the street.”

A moment of stillness, then...

“I’m glad we’re best friends," he said plainly, no hesitation in his voice. His dark eyes had warmed to a welcoming honest color, the kind some people could describe as home. The air around the two of you was still, a precious silence that quietly begged to be broken softly. Outside, the morning birds began to sing their late winter tune, beckoning spring to arrive as soon as possible. The sun filtered through the tiny windows brightly now, filling the dorm with warm yellow like that made everything feel nostalgic. Like the perfect ’80s movie.

When you found your voice, your words were soft but not timid. They held the same amount of honesty and weight as his had. “Me, too. We’re best friends, always.”

A soft smile played at Beomgyu’s lips as he echoed your promise. “Always.”

The walk back to your apartment is chilly. Even though the sun shone brightly ahead, the first freeze of the season the night prior plunged your town from late autumn into early winter. What few leaves remain on the trees might as well be frozen on, and the rest of the dead ones scattered around on the pavement, crunchy husks of their former selves. It’s daylight, but you can easily imagine if darkness were shrouded around you, your breaths would be rising out in front of you in vague translucent puffs. Cold describes everything in sight.

Beomgyu is close by your side, nestled in that ridiculously oversized scarf of his. Christmas is a while away, but you’re already planning on getting him a nice, Beomgyu-sized scarf, probably a deep brown to match his eyes.

“What’cha thinking about?” His voice, clear as crystal, cuts through the air like a sharpened knife, but it doesn’t startle you. It’s warm and inviting against the bitter winter weather, a gentle fire among the cold.

“What I’m gonna get you for Christmas,” you reply, burying your hands into your coat pockets. The pavement scuffs beneath your boots, the walk back home growing boring. As you crossed the street where you two used to part ways freshman year, him to the left and you to the right, you remember when he said his parents told him they were moving during high school. How distraught the two of you became, only to find out he was moving in across the street from your house. Now, you split the rent for a two bedroom apartment. “How about you?”

“To be completely honest, I’m wishing I had remembered my gloves this morning, because right now, my hands are extremely cold.”

You laugh, a bright chuckle, and pull your own hands out of your pockets, staring down at the grey gloves cloaking your fingertips. You hold out your hand towards him. “Want to take one?”

Beomgyu scoffs. “And let you suffer from an equally terrible fate as myself? I think not. At least one of us needs to live.”

You laugh again, throwing your hands back into your pocket. “Fine, be that way.” You cut in front of him, dashing over to the short decorative stone wall running as a divider between the grassy park and the sidewalk. In a quick hop, you’re walking along the top as it gradually slopes higher to the point your feet are even with Beomgyu’s waist.

He stares up at you as you hold your arms at length on either side of you, a small frown playing on his lips. “Be careful,” he warns, the tone of his voice surprisingly stern, something he rarely treats you with. When you look down, you see his brows creased as he follows your pace.

“Yeah, okay, dad,” you laugh, finding the bitter look on Beomgyu’s face amusing. The stone wall beneath your feet is sturdy, and your balance is just as solid. Years of strange theater exercises had brought you that. You can even see your apartment down the street; you’d walk all the way atop this wall, taller now still, and show him.  You’ll get to the end and hop off dramatically and tease him for worrying. He keeps pace with you perfectly, still by your side even if there’s distance. The look in Beomgyu’s eyes tells you he wants to reprimand you, take you by the waist and set you safely on the sidewalk before scolding you on every reason why you shouldn’t have done that. But you don’t need him to. You’re perfectly safe with no reason to worry and—

You’ve misstepped.

Your foot is too far from the center, closer to the edge of the stonewall than you had anticipated. There’s not enough foot on the edge to save it. Your impressive balance is misplaced even further as your arms circle widely at your sides, trying in vain to regain some semblance of stability. You can feel yourself pitch sideways, your feet finally coming out from beneath you, and now you’re looking up at the crystal blue sky.

There’s not a cloud in sight, odd for this early winter day, and for the shortest of moments, it’s like you're falling through the atmosphere. The cold wind biting at your cheeks is caused by your descent. The screams you hear are just the air rushing past your ears, calling your name, not anyone else. The clunk of bodies hitting the pavement is just an illusion.

Your vision snapping to black is just a mistake, a cruel trick of fate, like the dark doubts that swarm around your head when you’re all alone. The blackness is almost welcoming, and you succumb quietly.

Twelfth Grade

Four weeks.  Just under a month. Your life had gone from bold with color and emotion to two steps from dead and lifeless. Subjects you’d once enjoyed, now dull and monotonous. Walks to school were boring. Lunch and free period were non-committal. You’d skipped theater more than your fingers could count; you’d gotten an email from the director asking if everything was okay.

But it wasn’t. Nothing was.

Because it had been four weeks, just under a month, since you’d talked to your best friend.

What you’d even been fighting over, you couldn’t remember. That entire night is a fogged mess in your memory banks, existing but inaccessible. You know it’s there, but your brain, or maybe your heart, refuses to replay the details for you. The only information it relays is that there was a fight, and somehow some kind of words were said that ended in hot tears and storming out of houses with no goodbyes, take cares, or any sign of always.

Life since then had been weird, like you had shifted from one plane of existence but the world didn’t shift with you. Like a blurry camera shot, where one part of the image is in focus with fuzzy edges but everything else is shaken and smeared like thick wet paint.

All the love and joy theater had brought you since seventh grade was gone, five years nearly shattered to pieces inside your nearly-broken heart. You had no idea when the light would return, or if you would ever act again. It was so closely entwined to him, it physically hurt to walk near the theater or even think of certain plays.

Just like it hurt in the classes you shared. Sitting across the room from each other as far as possible, as opposed to right next to each other and sharing looks and soft smiles. The other students and even the teachers were left in a mild tailspin of confusion. There was never a scene made, nor any words spoken. Glances weren’t exchanged anymore. You never looked in his direction; your heart would ache far too much to handle.

Different pathways were even chosen to get between classes. You didn’t want a chance encounter in the halls, you couldn’t handle it. You guessed he couldn’t either, because you never saw him. There were never any accidental meet ups by your lockers, either.

Your plan had been to skip theater again and take the bus home, riding it around until it dropped you off last. You wouldn’t have to see him, it wouldn’t have to hurt, for that day at least. But you were running late, another teacher asking if you were okay needing brushing off. You needed to hurry and stop by your locker to retrieve your books. The bus was leaving soon; if you wanted to leave, you’d need to rush.

The halls were empty, everyone either in their after school clubs or outside waiting for the buses. You hurried to your locker, fingers anxious to spin the code in, grab your books, and leave. You reached inside, ready to retrieve the books by their spine and disappear from this place for what would feel like a short eternity. The hall was too bright, too empty, too--

“Y/N?”

Your heart skipped a beat, head whipping to the side. Beomgyu stood mere feet from you, but he might as well have been a thousand miles away. There were no longer any stars in his eyes, no warmth or cheer. They were sad, dark pits of self-doubt. They were muted screams, begging for help but not being quite loud enough. The dark circles under his eyes pleaded as well, and the downturn of his lips was what sent your stoic, bored, “I can make this” facade spiraling downwards.

You reached forward instinctively, wanting to cup his cheek with your hand and gently rub away the dark circles with your thumb, but you froze midway. Your voice even hitched. “Beomgyu... you look…”

“Awful? Dreadful? Like hell?” he filled in for you, and you couldn’t help but nod. Your chest was tight, almost to the point you wanted to clutch and tear at your heart to find relief. And the way your best friend was standing, shoulders slumped and body looking one strong wind from caving in like a fragile house of cards, it seemed like his heart was aching, too.

“What happened to us?” you asked, voice quiet and quivering. The hot buildup of tears began behind your eyes, making the edges of your vision blur together in a mass of sad, muted tones. “Why did we—”

“I don’t know,” he answered quickly, anxiously, as if he doesn’t speak fast, he’ll lose you again. He took a tender step forward, leaving only a few feet between you, but it was still too much space. You missed being side by side, close enough to bump into each other’s shoulders or elbow each other’s sides. Beomgyu took another tiny step towards you when you didn't move back. “What were we even fighting about?”

“I don’t know.” You felt like one step away from crumbling inwards, clasping in on yourself and all the way to the cool hallway floor. Your hands were shaking now at your sides, and you gripped your hoodie hem to prevent the shivers from racing up your arms and shaking the rest of you until you shattered into tiny shards. The moment your fingers curled around the soft hem was when you realized: it was his. You’d thrown in on that morning without even thinking. Now, all you could notice was how strongly, how nicely it smelled like him. You took in a solid breath of air to prevent the tears from spilling over, but it was shaky and unconvincing. “Whatever we were fighting about, it’s not worth this. I miss you, Beomgyu.”

His eyes were still empty, no stars in sight, but now they were glossy with tears. His chin quivered, and his lips moved to say something but couldn’t. His fingers curled and uncurled around the leather strap of his messenger bag. His voice was quiet when he finally spoke. “I miss you. So much it hurts to breathe, so much I can’t stand to look at you in class or else I feel like crying. Whatever I did, I’m sorry. Please, please, forgive me and be my best friend again. I don’t think I can take life without you anymore.”

The both of you lunged forward at the same time, wrapping each other in a hug. Your arms clung to his neck while his encircled your waist, holding you close. Warm, salty tears finally spilled over, running down your cheek and onto the soft denim of his jacket. By his shaky breaths, you figured he was crying, too. “I don’t want you not in my life anymore either,” you managed, hoping somehow that you’d made sense.

Beomgyu laughed in your arms, drawing you even nearer. “Good, because I really didn’t want to have to explain to your father why I was standing under your window with my guitar instead of just letting myself in like usual.”

You laughed too, but the kind of broken laugh where you find pure happiness just after harsh sadness. Your heart swelled with joy, knowing that Beomgyu was still yours. The time you’d spent apart, not talking or goofing around or shoving each other playfully with stupid grins on both of your faces, had been life-draining. You’d never get it back, even if you spent forever together. You never wanted to go through anything like that ever again.

Beomgyu nestled into the crook of your neck, words whispered so quietly you knew instantly that they were just for you. “We’re each other’s best friends, always. Right?”

You wrap your arms around even tighter, a true smile on your face for the first time in weeks. “Right. Always, Beomgyu, always.”

The apartment is quiet. The shades are drawn open, allowing late afternoon sunlight to spill in and swim around on soft carpet floors, bathing them in warm yellow light. The television in the corner is on but mute, the news airing with no noise. The heater kicked on a minute or so ago, filling the house with nicely warm air. Outside, soft baby snowflakes begin to fall out of the sky, the first snowfall of the season. If the sound had been on, you would have known that the weatherman said the snow was no reason for concern—it wouldn’t accumulate to the point it was dangerous. Just a light dusting, something to make the outdoors look nice and wintry.

But you are unconcerned with whatever the weatherman’s words may be or the consequences of the snow. There are more pressing concerns.

Your voice warbles as you pull out the first aid kit from above the washer and walk back into the living room. “Beomgyu, I’m so so sorry, I—” You bite down on your lower lip to prevent yourself from crying; there wasn’t time for that now.  The white plastic lid snaps open, and you pull out the gauze, the alcohol wipes, and the bandages with shaky hands. He sits on the edge of the couch, one hand bracing himself on the cushion, the wounded one resting tenderly on his lap.

You lower to stand on your knees and reach out to take the hurt one in yours. You stare down at his split second knuckle, an ugly gash that would surely scar no matter how kindly or tenderly you treated it. Caused because of your stupidity, your recklessness. Caused because you tripped or slipped or something and fell off the wall. Caused because he risked his safety to catch you. You feel your heart break, knowing the scar would be your fault, forever, and you can’t ever fix it no matter how hard you try.

There’s no going back, or rewinding time to try again.

Beomgyu winces as you wipe at the cut with the alcohol wipes, and you mutter sorry after sorry. It’s beginning to not even feel like a real word. You can feel your chest heaving, one step away from a total breakdown as you swim through deep and measured breaths. Guilt pours over you like a thick syrup, sticking to every surface and threatening to drag you down and drown you whole. It fills into the cracks of your armor, bubbling up inside you like a witch’s brew. As you place the gaze and wrap the bandages around his hand, your breaths are coming shallower and shallower, your ability to keep it together fading. When you tie the bandages into place, you let go and drop to sit on your heels, all energy gone. Your head hangs in shame, and you wish you could crawl away and hide somewhere until further notice.

Which would be easier if you didn’t share a damn apartment.

However, your best friend won’t let you.

“Hey,” he calls, his voice soft and soothing. His healthy hand curls under your chin, gently begging you to look up, and you comply. His eyes are calm and filled with stars again,  and other emotions you can’t quite place. He smiles kindly, and you can feel your heart shatter at that instant. Right now, you don’t deserve that kindness. Your shoulders spike up and tears begin to spill over. Beomgyu’s face collapses into concern, and he slides off the couch to sit on the floor next to you, legs crossed.

When he places his hands on your shoulders, you try to shake them off. “Please, just...” Your voice falls away. How could you ever apologize for what happened? You knew you shouldn’t have, and yet you did. You knew he seriously disapproved, even if he didn’t voice it totally, and yet you continued. You knew, deep down, that you were getting cocky, and yet you didn’t stop. You had plans on teasing him, mocking him for his concern. The guilt presses down and down, crunching against your head, your shoulders, and your heart until you could scarcely breathe. Quiet sobs heave against your frame, from your torso down to your whole body. You could tell, soon, that you’d simply shake apart into fragments that could never be pieced together again.

You injured your best friend from your own stupidity.

“Hey,” Beomgyu says again, and this time, he reaches for you and pulls you into his lap, safely tucking you under his chin. You don’t resist, and even if you wanted to, you doubt you could have done it past all the crying. He gently rocks you back and forth, rubbing your back, soothing you as one would a small child. Once your sobs have subsided, and your breaths return to a semi-normal state, he speaks again. “I don’t hate you for what happened, if that’s what you think. I could never, I…”

You pull yourself slightly from his grasp, enough to stare at him at eye level, coming out from underneath the warm spot of his chin and neck and shoulder. The emotions swirling around amongst the stars in his eyes are new and unusual to yet, and some part of you feels at home with them. Your voice is quiet, almost hesitant, when you talk. “You... what?”

Beomgyu takes a breath, as if steeling himself. "I have something I need to tell you."

"Need?" you echo, head quirking to one side in confusion.

He nods, staring straight into your eyes. When he speaks, his tone is something you’ve rarely ever heard before. “Need. My chest might burst if I don’t get this off it, and that wouldn’t really help me graduate. Or tell you this. So... and seeming we might as well have almost died…” You roll your eyes at his dramatics, and Beomgyu seems hesitant, but only for a moment. Years of going up on stage have prepared him, but you can tell in this instance, he’s honest, 100% himself, and your best friend, not some actor playing a character for some play. 

He takes another breath before: “I think I’m in love with you.”

Your eyes grow wide, a small gasp escapes your lips, but he doesn’t stop.

“No, that’s not right. I know I’m in love with you. I’ve loved you for a long time but this... this is different. I want to keep you safe, to wipe away any of your tears. Seeing you sad just... tears at my heart. It hurts. Whenever you're sad or upset, I feel the same way, even if it’s just words over a text message. I really did feel like I was going to die when we had that fight. Living without you was unimaginable, but I had to go four weeks without you. Without your voice, your stupid jokes, your laugh. I guess I was in love with you then, too, I just didn’t know it.”

Words escape you, any witty comeback gone. You stare at him, the honesty in his eyes, thinking you’d see him differently after his confession. But you don’t. He’s still Beomgyu. He’s still your best friend. He’s still your Beomgyu.

One of your hands raises, and you tap yourself on your sternum. “Me?”

Beomgyu rolls his eyes now, as if he expected some kind of response like this. “Yes, you. I mean, who else would look up at the night sky, invent a star-monster, then worry about it taking me? I’ve wondered if I was really in love with you, like really actually in love with you. But when you fell and I caught you and you blacked out and I didn’t know why... Y/N, I was so worried. I could feel my heart breaking and I knew that if you never woke up, I wouldn’t ever be the same again.”

He’s mere inches from you, arms around you, body heat radiating off in such pleasant ways you feel okay with melting straight into the floor. His hands move from around your back to ghost around your face, like they want to caress you but are too afraid you might shatter like a fine porcelain under his touch. And his eyes—damn, his eyes. Every star, every galaxy, stirring together to create a beautiful milky way, a gaze so firm and caring you feel as if you’ll never look away. That if you somehow managed, too, you’d feel as if you were missing something dear and important.

Your heart flutters in your chest, its beat stuttery against your wrists. Oh, how on earth did you get here?

Maybe it was when one was so starstruck by the other they stopped watching where they were walking and dripped over someone’s strewn out, overstuffed backpack. When the other offered up a seat beside them during the audition to help settle nerves. Maybe it was when they woke up next to each other after having fallen asleep after binge watching an entire anime season or two, with Netflix on some other autoplay show, one was wondering how the other could look so soft and delicate just after they wake. When the other was happy that they were in each other’s lives. Maybe it was when they declared they’d always be friends, best friends, but now always seems to be more weighty and mean a little more than before.

Maybe, just maybe, this is when they slowly turn towards each other, catching the starry glint in the other’s eye. When they slowly lean forward, ever closer, to the point they can feel one another’s soft breath. When gazes go from eyes to lips and back. When heartbeats slowly start to be harder and louder. When you feel like you might be the one crying because oh heavens—this is it.

But there are things those plays never mention, things the audience can never detect.

They never mention how the palms of hands become sweaty, or how automatic it is to take a soft breath before another pair of lips meets yours, a touch so delicate you finally understand what all the hype is about.

How nice it feels to have two hands cupping your cheeks so gently, their little fear of shattering you gone, or how your own hand curls into the fabric of his shirt as if it’s second nature, the most right thing in the world.

How tantalizingly dizzy a first kiss is.

How soft lips are, how soothingly warm to the point you wouldn’t mind if they were all you felt. How tender goosebumps trail down your spine until something begins to pool in your stomach.

How, even though you’ve become utterly breathless, you can’t stop at just one, because now something that's been building and growing for years has unlocked.

Hands that trail from cheeks to ghost over the nape of the neck, sliding down arms softly to then find purchase at your waist. Kisses, more warm, tantalizing kisses that leave you craving for more. Kisses that roam from lips to chins, then trail down the jaw to tease and nip tender patches of skin on necks, only to return to corners of lips for more wholehearted, dizzying kisses.

You’re warm, almost hot, but it’s so pleasant. What exposed skin you have tingles with feeling, with a craving touch and affection, too. The two of you rest your forehead on one another’s, breath still shallow from all the kisses exchanged, hands softly interlocked with fingers entwined, or as much as one can with bandaged knuckles. He finds his voice first, though even it is soft and a little hoarse. “I should have done that a long time ago, huh?”

You giggle and snuggle closer, nestling into the crook of his neck. You place a kiss underneath his chin. Beomgyu rubs even patterns on your back with his healthy hand while you take the bandaged one in your own, cradling it gently. You pull it up to your own lips, kissing where each knuckle is softly. When you look up, you see the stars glowing in his eyes, brighter than anytime you’ve ever seen them. 

Beomgyu sighs, eyes softening at the corners. “I guess the kiss in the play won’t matter anymore, hm?”

You lightly slug in him the shoulder, a love-filled smile playing on your lips. He smiles back in a similar manner, his eyes lighting up with happiness. “Oh, and I guess this means you love me back, too.”

People fill and mingle around the diner, looking for an open seat among the crowds of customers. And older couple swoops in as soon as you vacate the booth, not even caring that your dirty dishes were still neatly stacked at the edge awaiting pick up. But you didn’t mind. You push through the doors to wait outside while Beomgyu paid. Even though there’s a small crowd at the counter, you knew exactly which one he was. Beomgyu wore his light blue jacket, the one that accentuated all his features nicely. You’d have to make sure that whatever Beomgyu-sized scarf you bought matched that jacket. He needed to wear it as often as possible.

The first official date was almost over, but you knew there would be many more to come. 

Once he’s finished paying, Beomgyu makes a beeline for the door, carefully navigating around all the people crowding the entryway. “Is it always this busy?” you ask when he rejoins you.

Beomgyu shrugs his shoulders. “Yeah, I guess so. But knowing you, the most gorgeous person ever alive, would be there waiting for me was very motivational.”

You do little to hid your smile.

He takes your hand in his, interlacing your fingers as if it were second nature. Maybe, it was, and you two had just been trying to ignore it. This walk from the diner back to your apartment had been done countless times before, but this one is special. And now, you think, it really is your apartment. 

Beomgyu starts to casually rub gentle circles onto your skin with his thumb. “It’s the perfect kind of weather for me to take off my jacket and give it to you to keep you warm, you know.” He then takes a deep sigh and throws his head back. His next words come out playfully clipped. “But, someone had to be smart and wear their jacket.”

“Well, you’re not dating a fool,” you chuckle. When you notice Beomgyu pouting, eyes downcast away from you, you laugh again and poke him in the shoulder to get his attention. “Thank you anyway, Beomgyu, for always thinking of me.”

He turns back to you, all smiles. “Darling, I don’t think I could stop thinking of you even if I tried.”

“Ew, gross.” You laugh, white curls of breath forming in front of you. But, unlike last time, there is no cold or ice in sight. No dark thoughts and doubts plague you tonight. You’re delightfully warm and happy.

“Ew, gross yourself,” Beomgyu mimics, throwing his tone to match yours. “I’m cold too, by the way. So I guess thanks for thinking of me by thinking of yourself. God, you’re like the smartest person ever.”

As the walk home continues, so does the conversation. "Our parents seemed pretty happy when we told them, huh?" Beomgyu mentions, a smile playing at his lips.

“Maybe they planned it,” you muse. “Maybe the director was in on it. They wrote it all together because they decided it was now or never.”

Laughter fills the air, and even in the dark spots between the lampposts are filled with light.

You nudge your shoulder into Beomgyu’s, garnering his attention. “Can I ask you a question?” When he nods, eager to hear what you have to say, you continue. “Why did you throw your lunch on me that day in seventh grade?”

“That was an honest mistake!” he exclaims, eyes filled with desperate honesty. The blush along his cheeks as he looks away is readily apparent. When he looks up, his eyes are filled with sincerity. “But sitting next to you on audition day wasn’t.”

A soft smile plays at the corner of your lips. “I’m glad I got there late, then.”

“Me, too.” A moment of silence falls between you, but it’s comfortable, like an overtly fluffy blanket made just for two. Afterward, Beomgyu is the first to speak again. “Okay, I’ve confessed something from our past that’s mildly embarrassing yet still endearing. Now it’s your turn.” He turns to you with a mischievous grin on his lips.  "’Fess up, darling."

It takes a small instant, before: “Oh! You know that time we stayed up all night and watched anime after that big project? When we woke up the next morning, even though you scared the hell out of me, I thought you were pretty cute.”

Beomgyu’s eyebrows quirk up, his grin grows wider. “Cute? Me? You thought I was cute?”

Pink blush rushes to your cheeks before you smack him on the shoulder. You drop his hand and quicken your pace. “You were cute, you’re not anymore.”

Beomgyu races to catch up with you, takes your hand again, and bumps into your shoulder gently. “Of course I’m not cute anymore. I’m handsome.”

You make a fake gag. “Oh, please!” There’s no sense of lightness when you shove his shoulder.

“Hey, now,” he says, rubbing his shoulder with his free hand, another fake pout on his lips. “Be nice to your boyfriend.”

You scoff. “Is that what you are now?”

“What else would I be? More than friends but not a boyfriend…” Beomgyu’s eyes brighten as he lets go of your hand and snaps his fingers. “Aha! Your husband!”

You shove him with two hands this time. The idea of being with him like that is overwhelming to the max. “Fine, you’re my boyfriend, then.” The word feels foreign on your tongue, but you can easily imagine them growing comfortable. Your best friend. Your boyfriend. Your Beomgyu.

He slings his arm over your shoulder and pulls you close as your apartment slowly grows larger in the distance.  He leans his head over and rests it gently on yours. “I guess I lied,” he mutters, and you pull back confused even with his eyes on you, rich and loving. “I told you the play wouldn’t change things between us.”

A smile slowly spreads across your face. “But... we changed in a good way, right?”

Beomgyu answers you with a gentle kiss to the crown of your head, caressing your shoulders kindly and pulling you just a little closer. “Yeah, we changed in a good way.”

#kdiarynet #kwritersworld #kflixnet #k-labels #txt fluff #txt headcanons #txt scanarios #txt imagines #beomgyu fluff #beomgyu headcanons #beomgyu scenarios #beomgyu imagines #fluff #angst #scarios #imagines #all #prose #txt

[taffybear]

random list of my bay Leo headcanons ❤

working on Raph next! let's see how many ideas i get lol

also opening my inbox for writing (and perhaps even drawing) requests! feel free to drop me an ask <3

literally loves mitski and mac demarco. he likes very indie hopeless romantic type music, it's literally hilarious to catch him just vibing in his feels

SECRETLY HAS PINTEREST BAHAHAHAHA but just for finding poetry and looking at bonsai trees. Mikey found out (like he doesn't have pinterest too??) and they all ended up making fun of him for it to the point where Leo debated deleting the app but ended up forgetting about it.

very specific but he has this unique type of love language where he'll ask you something and without any further questions he will go get or accomplish whatever he hinted at. for example, y'all will just be hanging out, and he'll go, "are you hungry?" and if you just as much nod your head hesitantly he will run to the kitchen and make you a 3 course meal. or, he'll just ask you if you're cold, and if you say yes he brings you a heater and a blanket. he doesn't ask things like, "can i get you a water?" he'll just ask if you're thirsty and go from there.

has the most gorgeous handwriting on the planet. this beautiful cursive print that is lowkey unreadable but so aesthetically pleasing. at first you were shocked but as you got to know him it made lots of sense, literally probably his biggest hobby is just remembering some random thing and then spending weeks straight perfecting it until it's natural for him. he loves to challenge himself to be perfect at literally anything, and his hand writing is one of those instances.

HE'S LITERALLY A VIRGO GUYS HE IS THE DEFINITION OF A VIRGO OH MY GOD

speaks fluent japanese OF COURSE but his brothers don't know it as well as he does (they all know a little at least) and he'll curse them out quietly in japanese behind their backs.

Leo wouldn't say he had a favorite brother of course but he definitely prefers Don's presense over the others. they always go to each other first when they have a problem or just want to rant, and they have a bunch of inside jokes.

after Donnie, Leo's the biggest insomniac. he gets nightmares a lot unfortunately, and most times when he wakes up he physically can't go back to sleep. literally Mikey will get up for a glass of water at 5:37 in the morning and Leo is up doing flips.

very random, but Leo is AWFUL at math. he meant to learn at some point but the time passed and he missed the boat. ofc math is Don's second language and Mikey and Raph couldn't care less (but somehow Mikey always guesses the right answers without doing the correct work??) but Leo is lowkey embarrassed that he struggles with it so much. he can do basic math and most things that come up in daily life like practical equations, but anything past times tables and division he is cannot understand. if you come over and need help on your math homework he will try his HARDEST to help you but ultimately he's completely clueless.

always takes bugs outside. if the creepy crawly is creepy enough or makes you screech, he'll whip it with his katana but normally he'll take the time to scoop it up in his hands (literally no fear) and walk it outside calmly.

literally LOVES doing chores. it's like a form of self care for him. folding laundry, sweeping, mopping, washing the dishes, organizing the dojo, he'll literally put on some music and go to town. when he visits you he will literally just start straightening things up and picking things off of the floor. he hates having nothing to do so he'll just ask for something he can clean while y'all chit chat.

incredibly flexible. he can bend every which way, sit comfortably in a split for hours, can bend over IN HALF and grab the back of his legs--he's literally maxed out on flexibility. but splits training is his private time so unless you sneak you won't catch a glance. but when you do, in between of sliding dojo doors, it is... something. like excuse me sir how tf doesn't that hurt your bAWLLS

smells like lavender. dead serious his signature scent is lavender. it's not like he wears cologne or anything, he just lights a lot of lavender incense and candles to the point where if someone even steps foot in his room they walk out aroma-fied.

everyone in the fandom has their personal opinion of who's the best cook and who's the worst cook of the four, and it is finally time for my hot take of the century. i think Leo is by far the best chef, and Raph is the one who can't even make toast right. a lot of people say Mikey is the chef of the family, which i agree with, he enjoys cooking and baking very much, but this doesn't mean the food he makes is good 💀💀💀 he trusts himself over any recipe and so he just throws in whatever he feels like. Leo can't stand being in the kitchen while Mikey is cooking, his ocd can't stand it. this said, you'd think this would mean the guys prefer Leo's cooking over Mikey's but fact is Leo is such a perfectionist he will spend hours working on a meal it's past 11 by the time he's done. and he doesn't take requests, he only makes what he wants and then on top of that the healthnut version. he makes sushi a lot and goes crazy when you bring him salmon.

IS SUCH A DORK BAHAHAHA if you even so much MENTION a book or a show he likes he will blabber for HOURS about it. he knows every single fact there is to know about star trek it is insane. you amuse him not because you're interested of course but he is just so damn adorable when he's talking about something he enjoys (which he rarely gets the chance to without being made fun of LMAO)

#tmnt #bayverse leo #tmnt leo #tmnt leonardo #bayverse leonardo #tmnt headcanons #tmnt bayverse #leonardo #bayverse tmnt

[reidsdaisies]

Heyyy!!!! Could you please write a blurb, drabble or headcanon about Spencer wanting to be a househusband or how would he be as such??!? I’ve been watching The way of the househusband anime lately and it sparked the idea. I love your writing and have a great day 💕💕💕

𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐡𝐮𝐬𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝!𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐬!

༉‧´ˎ˗ pairing; househusband spencer reid x gn bau!reader

༉‧´ˎ˗ a/n; you literally read my mind!! I’ve been wanting to do something about househusband spencer ever since i did spencer x housewife reader! and i had way too much fun on pinterest looking for inspo pics 😭💞 here’s a board i lowk love, I think it’s just adorable if anyone wants to know what I’m picturing — ׂׂૢ

𝐂𝐌 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 || 𝐌𝐀𝐈𝐍 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓

— i know i said he’s a terrible cook before, but in this universe i think he would have spent a lot of time learning how to cook and bake so he could cook you homemade meals and delicious sweet treats to show his appreciation for how hard you work to put a roof over the two of your heads

— he wears cute ass girly or flowery aprons when cooking and adorable oven mitts, fight me

— he has an unhealthy attachment to his kitchen aid mixer, will talk about how much he loves that thing. you’re concerned.

— excellent and very precise with cleaning 👌 scrubs at the bathroom sink till you can practically see your reflection in it and dusts every damn crevice of your house

— very passionate about the projects he gets into. like if he decides he wants a garden, omg he will commit. he’d probably want a house with a big backyard with enough space to build one of those cute vegetable gardens in the back yard and grow you two’s own food. and he would plant big apple and pear trees, would take pride in how great the fruit is and when everything is finally ready to be picked, he’ll make you bring it to work for the team

— AND omg a greenhouse would be his dream to have. everyone knows about his big ass brain and he definitely has extensive knowledge on all different types of plants, exactly what conditions they need to thrive

— along with that, i know he’d be really into lawn-scaping, you two have the best lawn EVER, and im not exaggerating. the back and the front of the house— absolutely beautiful. he picks out the prettiest flowers and makes sure the soil is rich, and ofc trims the bushes to perfection. he’d look so cute with gardening gloves, these or these specifically, and his massive ass, muddy ass gardening boots that are a size too big but he’s oddly attached to them.

— other hobbies he’s picked up include scrapbooking, drawing, painting, and of course knitting & crocheting.

— in one episode, he told Penelope he spent weeks knitting a scarf for his cosplay, and so now I’ve been constantly thinking about the other things he’d knit & crochet for him and his partner. scarfs, mittens, winter hats, sweaters, pot holders, anything he can make, he will make even just to try it out once.

— the pot holders would have cute animals on them or flowers. floral everything. he loves all plants, specifically flowers.

— now that you two own a house together, there’s so much opportunity for him. he’s got his own office AND most importantly, it’s massive and doubles as his own personal library. it’s walls are lined with multiple of the tallest, most spacious bookcases you could find for him, still just barely being able to fit his ever growing book collection on their shelves.

— he’s a house husband, he probably doesn’t have time for the FBI. im not sure if he would be fully a stay at home husband because that would bore him and many people need the help of his big brain so I think he’d spend a lot of time in his office, researching and writing articles probably most having to do with finding a cure for schizophrenia.

— if he were to also be a professor while married to you, i don’t think that would happen unless you’re imaging later seasons reid, but personally I’m imagining seasons 6-11 (minus season 8 with the maeve story arc) for this.

— i could maybe see Penelope and him owning a buisness/website together for both their crafts, of course Penelope would run the website and handle all the technical things.

— you and spencer have Penelope over on weekends and off days to chit chat while knitting or painting mugs or canvases. sometimes you’ll invite JJ, Emily, and Derek over but Emily and Derek would drag you away to the kitchen to get wine-drunk and gossip while JJ would be decorating the frames of her kids pictures and copying silly mug designs she found on Pinterest for Will.

— whenever you’re not on a case, and you’re friends aren’t available or you two aren’t feeling ver social, that’s when you finally get to be the sweet, lovey-dovey married couple you two are at heart

— for fun, you guys always bake brownies, cookies, cupcakes, and what not together, that ofc, he insists you take into work to show off his beautiful decorating skills. they’re not that beautiful but you still like to tell him they are to boost his ego and make jokes about how he should work at a bakery. a bakery would never hire him.

— you’ve given him the nickname of ‘cuddle bug’. why? because he’s such a gosh darn cuddle bug. will curl up to your side for hours while you finish any necessary paperwork and you two talk about the most recent case you worked while he’s mindlessly drawing little butterflies and hearts on your back

— after particularly rough cases, he runs you two a bubble bath to just soak in and spend some much needed and well deserved alone time together

— mentioned this in my housewife head canons, but you two would take turns giving each other back, shoulder, foot, or really anywhere needed massages. he’s all fancy with it, bringing out coconut oil and shi but you just let him do his thing, you’re getting a free massage, no need to complain about that

༉‧´ˎ˗ bonus; you two have movie nights every friday where you lounge in the living room eating nachos and watching tv. surprise, he always weasels his way into getting to pick what you watch. even bigger ‘surprise’, it’s always Star Trek or some scientific documentary.

-

anyways, that’s all i can think of for now, but if anyone has anything they want to add, please talk to me about house husband spencer through my inbox !! i will do anything to feminize this beautiful man

#reidsdaisies #reidsdaisies spencer <3 #spencer reid #house husband spencer reid #spencer reid headcanon #spencer reid headcanons #spencer reid scenario #spencer reid imagine #spencer reid fanfiction #spencer reid fluff #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid x gn!reader #spencer reid x fem!reader #spencer reid x male reader #househusband spencer reid x gn!reader #criminal minds #spencer reid criminal minds #criminal minds fanfic #criminal minds fandom

[fuckyeahpedropascal]

Hi, I hope you're doing well! Just wondering if you're able to do a post/poll/comparison/analysis - let's call it a scientific study - of Pedro's broad shoulder in proportion to his tiny waist? (and maybe also his cute, um, bottom?)

As always, thank you so much for all you do for the Pedro fandom! 💖

This ask is literally 8 months old, I’m so sorry sweet anon 😭 I kept putting it off because I felt like I couldn’t do your ask justice. I still think I can do a much better job than this, but since it’s Boxing Day, I thought I’d leave this naked man under all of your trees.

Please forgive the half-assed analysis because my mind doesn’t work in the face of such broadness 🫠 And of course, we can only use half-naked pics because we need clear references for science.

Let's talk overall broadness first. This man majorly beefed up in between Nikita (2013) and the first season of Narcos (2015). I was going to use 3:5 cropping for both gifs, but I literally couldn't fit all of Javier in that frame. That's how bloody broad this man had gotten.

Can we admire the corded muscles running down Javier's side for a second? Look at the lines. Look at them. He is significantly thicker and more sculpted compared to Liam, he definitely put his hours in the gym in those couple of years.

Skipping forward to the next time we see this man half-naked on screen in TUWOMT in 2022, he has clearly gotten even broader horizontally and also filled out in thickness. The shoulders are bigger, and look at those tiddies pecs practically leaping off the screen, and that soft belly. They knew what they were doing not giving us a full frontal shot of Javi G - he's a danger to ovaries everywhere.

Now let's move on to shoulder-to-waist ratio. Compared to Liam, Javier has a more pronounced dip in the waist thanks to the broader shoulders and the tiny little waist that stayed tiny. If you draw lines connecting shoulders to waist, Liam is more boxy and Javier is more of a trapezium.

While we don't see Javi G stand up fully, that shoulder-to-waist ratio is clearly still there, even if he is broader on both ends overall. That slutty nip in the waist is still very much present.

Ok that's all the analysis my turkey-fogged brain is capable of right now. This is such a broad topic (tehehe), consider this a prelude of sorts. I'm sure I'll be doing more of a deep dive one day, because we haven't even gotten to that little tush yet.

• Masterlist •

Related posts:

Shoulders/arms/waist ratio

Pedro boys in bed

Pedro boys disrobed

#pedro pascal #pedro pascal characters #pedro pascal cinematic universe #javier pena #javier peña #javi gutierrez #the unbearable weight of massive talent #pedro pascal edit #pedro pascal gifs #pedro pascal analysis #fuckyeahasks

[youarethedancingdean]

Day 7 of @steddie-week

Prompt: Free Space

It all started February, 8th. Eddie found a card in his locker after lunch. It was plain except for a comic-style bumblebee and a speech bubble with the phrase 'Bee mine'. First he thought this was some sort of stupid prank by his band mates, Gareth would come up with something like this. But after opening it and reading what was written in it, he wasn't so sure anymore.

Eddie.

I know, it's not Valentine's Day yet, which is why I'm not asking you to be my valentine. But be sure, I will come the time.

Isn't the bee cute?

The handwriting was too neat to be any of his friends'. God, what if this was some delusional girl with a crush on the school freak, the gay school freak. He better start finding the words to let her down easy.

Two day later, Eddie found a card in his backpack. What the hell, who had put that there? This one wasn't one you could open. The front was white and said 'Save the Date' in baby pink, cursive letters.

Of course, I'm not planing our wedding. I'm not that insane. But, you do have a date on the 14th. Make sure you're free, will you?

Tacos or pizza?

Tacos all the way, but who was this? Eddie had never had a secret admirer, let alone a date. Was this really for real or just a stupid prank in the end. He found, that he was hoping this was real. Even if he'd let down a girl, at least someone had been interested in him this way for once.

The 12th came around and so did the third card. He came home from band practice to find it in the mailbox of his uncle's trailer. The envelope it was in was plain white, the only thing on it was 'Eddie.' written in the by now so familiar handwriting.

The card was hand drawn this time. It was a sleeping bat hanging from the branch of a tree and a small red chested bird on the same branch. The drawing wasn't extravagant, but still pretty damn good. The inside read a joke that only a true nerd would really get. Maybe his admirer was nerdy, too? This was getting pretty interesting.

Be the bat man to my robin ♡

On Valentine's Day Eddie expected someone or at least a card to pop up at every corner. All day, though, he didn't get anything. He didn't even know where his stupid date would be, so he needed to get something, right?

It was 6:30 pm, when he heard a knock on the trailer's door. He jumped up excitedly, only to be disappointed when he opened the door to see Steve Harrington. Don't get him wrong, he thought Steve was beautiful and– GOD– he would date the living shit out of him. But there was no way Steve 'Straight Boy' Harrington had a thing for him. Hell, they barely exchanged nice words.

"Kids aren't here. Didn't they specify where to pick them up again? I think it's Max’ this time," he mentioned instead of greeting Steve, pointing at the trailer across the street where Max and her mother lived. "Not here to pick up the kids, here to pick up you," Steve responded with a cheeky smile, which left Eddie's face with a frown of confusion.

He was handed a small bouquet of flowers, all of them unique and unusual and definitely not some cheesy ones like roses. "Who put you up to this? I need to know, man. I've been getting these cards all week and I need to tell her... well, I need to talk to her. Steve only smiled wider, pointing at the small card in the bouquet. It finally read 'Be my Valentine' and contrary to the others he'd gotten it was just a basic, red and pink Valentine's Day card you could get anywhere.

You want tacos, don't you?

- Steve

Eddie’s eyes widened as he looked back up at the man in front of him. "You're straight," was all he said, quietly and calmly. He had to prepare himself for a disappointment, this had to be a prank after all. "Thank you for the diagnosis, Dr. Munson. But, I think you're wrong there. Look, maybe I shouldn't have made it this cheesy and silly, but I that's how I am, okay. And it's better you know that before you agree to go out with me. So? Tacos?" Steve was clearly pretty insecure and nervous, but he was also dressed nicely and his hair was looking even better than usually. And he knew he would pick tacos. "You're into me? You wanna date me?" Eddie asked, still in shock from it all. Steve nodded. "Let me get my jacket, you're driving," Eddie responded instantly, earning a relieved chuckle from Steve. "And, of course, were having tacos!" he called from his bedroom over the noises of someone looking for something specific in a huge mess.

#steddieweek2023 #day seven: free space #i decided to go with whatever i want #steddie #fluff #eddie munson #steve harrington #late entry cause i was busy #my writing

[kxyera]

How the Ghouls spend time alone (SFW) <3

All fluff, first time i've ever wrote something like this :)

Aurora

I know for a FACT this girl can draw. She can sketch, paint, reference, shade and draw in multiple art styles. She's incredibly proud of her art (AS SHE SHOULD?!) and always draws little sketches of the other ghouls when shes bored or alone. She sometimes rips the pages out and gives it to the ghoul she drew, they always fawn over it and thank her multiple times.

Cirrus

She's a doomscroller. Enough said. She has a screen-time of over 10 hours and is not ashamed whatsoever. She also loves online shopping, she spends at least half her time scrolling to buy things she cant and will probably never afford or wear.

Cumulus

THIS. GIRL. CROCHETS. SHE IS A CROCHET QUEEN. She especially loves making stuffed animals and makes the ghouls little stuffed animals for anti-christmas and their birthdays. They're always personalised and is colour-coded to the giftee's element (EG: Fire = Red wool, Water = Blue wool, Air = White/grey wool, Earth = Green/brown wool, Quintessence = Purple). She loves the time and effort spent in making crochet projects, and absolutely adores seeing the other ghouls' face light up when they're gifted one of her projects.

Sunshine

I feel like she'd just enjoy the alone time. She'd go on walks by herself, skipping and listening to music. She just loves everything and is literally a walking ray of sun. literally.

Swiss

He definitely plays loud music and sings along to it. Other ghouls either love it or hate it, depends on what time of day/night it is. He once woke up Sodo at 2am from it. DEEPLY regretted it. Has always stopped playing music at exactly 10pm after that incident.

Sodo

Depending on his mood, he'll either practice his guitar or go on walks. He almost always practices his guitar as he thinks its the only thing that will keep him focused in on something. He plays to get his mind off of whatever happened and he'll only goes on walks when he knows he needs to properly clear his head.

Mountain

He'd be a gardening boy. His room is full of plants and he knows the exact name of every plant in his room. He'd go out to the ministry gardens and sit underneath one of the trees reading. He's a calm boy.

Rain

You bet your ass if its a rainy day he's out there running around in it. Heavy rain? He loves it. Storm? No problem. Thunder? He'll jump at the large crashes of thunder, but find it to be music to his ears. He takes daily showers and the water has to be cold. He loves cold water (especially in the mornings) and he absolutely has a rainfall shower head. His spare time is spent damp.

Phantom

This little gremlin is a walking pile of chaos. He once baked with the ghoulettes when he was bored. Its safe to say he's now officially banned from the kitchen. Everytime he has spare time alone, he instantly goes to find someone to mess about with. He also plans elaborate pranks to pull on the other ghouls in the future. Yes, he has a notebook with all these plans.

Aether

He’s the type of guy that reads a lot of old novels, always has a book on him. He *loves* H.P. Lovecraft, especially ‘Call of Cthulhu’ and could talk about it for hours by a cozy fire if he had someone to listen

#aurora ghoulette #cirrus ghoulette #cumulus ghoulette #sunshine ghoulette #swiss ghoul #sodo ghoul #mountain ghoul #rain ghoul #phantom ghoul #aether ghoul #domestic december ghost ghouls (sorta) #headcanons #ghost headcanons #ghost bc headcanons #ghost bc #kxyera’s headcanons

[thesecretsoftheuniverse]

Could u do jealous neteyam headcannons or a fic pls? I love all ur works and ur writing style!

clouded perception !

– pairing neteyam x gn!reader | wc 2.6k | warnings a lot of jealousy, a lot of angst i guess (i had way too much fun with this oops) but also some fluff | what's inside neteyam has to learn how to deal with something he has never felt before as he watches you train with a close friend – authors note my first request! how exciting! i'm sorry it took so long. i hope i did your wishes justice anonie and thank you for the kind words! also feedback is of course always appreciated (and i'm the worst at naming fics haha) :)

neteyam excelled in anything you could possibly think of, especially in activities related to hunting, whether it was tracking, archery or flying. he was a natural in everything he persued. so obviously he felt hurt when you decided so ask another one of the skilled young na’vi to help you practice your shooting skills as you had always had a hard time keeping up with the others when it came to using your bow and arrow. you were training to become a healer, which put different qualities to a test. ever since you had been romantically involved with neteyam mo’at startet to take you under her wing to make sure you grew into your role of a possible future tsahík. but knowing every detail about plants and their healing capabilities and getting taught how to nurse and how to form a close bond with ewya didn’t spare you from basic training in archery to be able to defend yourself and your people if it ever came to a worst case scenario. this was the reason why you started to spend more time than usual with one of your closest childhood friends – ‘anoa. it didn’t pass anyone that he was one of the most promising young warriors of the clan, frequently being compared to neteyam te suli tsyeyk'itan, the golden boy and child progidy of the clan. but neteyam had been busy, now more than ever. if he wasn’t with the hunting party, he was planning with his dad for an upcoming raid, assisting him where- and whenever he could. because of that the time you and neteyam shared was scarce and most definitely not used to get additional lessons in archery. that was why you confided in your best friend who gladly accepted your request.

one morning you and ‘anoa were standing on the edge of a clearing, facing makeshift targets. it was still early, the first rays of sunshine barely touching the tips of the trees and morning dew still covering the grass. your back was resting against ‘anoa’s bare chest as you were repeating the basics while drawing your bow, him correcting your position again and again, “you need more core strength. mind your abdominal muscles.” he turned over, pressing the palm of his hand against your stomach, which was slowly rising and falling from your deep breaths, “more, more.” as you were trying your best to tense your muscles just like ‘anoa instructed you pulled funny faces to make your training seem extra exhausting and get a smile out of your friend. “skxawng,” ‘anoa chuckled, slightly tapping the side of your head, but immediately returning to a more serious demeanour, “now just position your elbow a little bit higher and put your hand next to your cheek. close your eyes and feel your breath tingling your skin. sense the tension flooding your body and how it spreads to your arms and legs as you pull the string of your bow,” he said with a calm voice while correcting the placement of your left hand. “good. now that we’ve freshened up that bit try and give it a shot.” you focused on your target, feeling the hot breath tickling the skin of your fingers, mentally checking your position one last time. your mind shut down completely as you were focusing on what was in front of you before you let go of the arrow, seeing it flying into the direction of your target and hitting its center. you heard the impact as the arrowhead drilled itself into the trunk of the tree. “hey, you’re a natural! i don’t even know why we’ve been practicing all morning”, 'anoa cheered with a smile, giving you a side-hug. unbeknownst to you you had been watched. neteyam noticed how you had been up too early for you linking and left the village. surprised by your secretive behaviour and also wondering what you were up to was why he decided to follow you, which led to him hiding in the thicket of the forest, closely observing your little meet up. he knew that he could trust you and that you would never go behind is back. he also knew ‘anoa and what he meant to you, that you had been growing up together and that both of you were very close, almost like siblings as you yourself never had one. this was rather unnatural to na’vi, who tended to come in big families. but due to that you and ‘anoa were basically a package deal as over time he became something like a substitute sibling to you. and neteyam also knew that ‘anoa was already having a partner, a lovely girl. neteyam hadn’t been introduced to her yet, but he knew that she was a talented weaver and that she occasionally helped out his mother if there was something needed last minute while preparing for special occasions. but still, neteyam couldn’t help but let jealousy cloud his thinking, especially when he should’ve been the one standing there with you, with your back pressed against his body, him adjusting your movements and watching you beaming with pride after successfully making your shot. jealousy – something he had never felt before. something he never had to feel, as every male na’vi knew who you belonged to and that the son of the olo’eyktan is someone not to be messed with . so they always kept their distance. neteyam contemplated whether he should interrupt your training session, but settled on heading back to the village, still lost in his thoughts and having a frown on his face, angrily pushing aside every branch crossing his way as he was desperately trying to get rid of the irrational feeling sitting in his guts, which was slowly spreading through his body and engulfing his mind.

something was off. you could almost smell it in the air. this undetectable feeling was following you around all day long, haunting you at work while you were taking care of the wounded, ill and elderly. it was eating away at the food as you were sitting on the floor sharing dinner with your lover’s family and it followed you into your sleep. you couldn’t tell what exactly it was, but something was different. at first it didn’t really catch your attention as you thought this was just a phase. the day of the raid, which had been planned for weeks, was coming closer. so not only was every clan member busy with preparations as everyone who could in some way contribute was imposed with tasks depending on what their role and function within the clan was, but everyone was mostly stressed and worried. over time dinners started to become quieter as the mood shifted. even tuk, who tended to talk your ears off, wasn’t as chatty as usual. in the morning you suddenly were left without a loving peck on your temple, in the evening you weren’t greeted with a welcoming hug, being asked about your day. and this was going on for days. kiri was the first one to notice, to notice how neteyam was the one who grew more distant. more distant of you. how the first thing asking about after coming back from a hunt wasn’t you and your well-being or how he started to barely mention you anymore, requiting questions about you asked in his presence with a grunt. he started to become closed off and stopped talking about you, the light of his life. someone he normally didn’t shut up about. really, he stopped talking to anyone as time went by and jealousy started to consume him, wondering about why you felt the need of turning away from him, self-doubts starting to creep in. neteyam was a people pleaser, always trying his best for everyone around him. not meeting expectations was definitely something he was afraid of. he was afraid, if he had given you too little and if that was why you were turning to someone else, to someone better than him. the mighty warrior was afraid of being inferior. a fear he had been carrying with him ever since he had been able to think, something that had always been sitting in the back of his mind and now his worst nightmare seemingly became reality. losing his love, the one he was destined to be with, to someone else. to an outsider watching this probably seemed like an overreaction, like something blown completely out of proportion. you had been enamoured by neteyam ever since you were children. even a blind one was able to see it. so of course not a single soul would have possibly doubted your connection and your relationship, but neteyam was seeing red as he was confronted with something he was afraid of the most – losing a loved one, which changed his perception severely.

now that he became hyper-aware of the relationship of you and ‘anoa neteyam didn’t fail to miss every tiny interaction between you and your friend. he noticed ‘anoa’s subtle touches and how he put his hand on your lower back to bring you comfort. and neteyam saw the little wrinkles under your eyes, which always started to show whenever someone made you laugh so hard you had to hold your stomach and throw your head back. he noticed more than ever how ‘anoa made you laugh in that specific way, in a way only neteyam should have made you laugh. these little things hadn’t been anything new, but they started to bother him. it started to bother him that he wasn’t the only one in your life, even though this was something that had been off the table since the very beginning of your relationship as this was never going to happen anyway. he knew how much space ‘anoa took up in your life. but nonetheless you had never given your boyfriend any reason to doubt you or your love for him.

when neteyam started to brush off your absent-minded touches the both of you had been sharing ever since you started going out it finally dawned on you. it wasn’t the raid that occupied your lover’s mind, it had been you. but not in a good way. all of a sudden so many things made sense. how neteyam had been deliberately avoiding you all this time. how neytiri started to watch you and her oldest son with a worried look on her face, knowing that there was nothing in the world she could do make the situation any better as she knew she had to let you figure this out yourselves. and how kiri’s behaviour towards her brother became almost unbearable after she finally put two and two together. so you decided to take neteyam aside in an unwatched moment and make him listen to you. you didn’t know yet how to do that, but your plan had been set.

as you were on a break from your duties and sitting outside of one of the healer’s tents, thinking about how you could approach the issue, which had been on your mind for several days at that point you spotted neteyam. he was just about to leave for the next war council, accompanying his father who was discussing the next steps with other great warriors of the clan. you knew there probably would have come a better moment than this to stop him from whatever he was doing in order to talk. but you had to get this sorted, especially when anything could happen to neteyam during the planned raid. so you pulled yourself together, got up and headed into the same direction as him, following him into the woods. after a few minutes of just walking neteyam finally made a halt. you noticed the tips of his ears perking up, which gave away that he had heard you and that he knew who had been tracing his every step. neteyam inhaled deeply before slightly turning his head and acknowledging your presence, “y/n, I know you’re here with me.” you hesitated to react and give away your hiding spot. “you can come out. i know you’ve been following me ever since i left the village. i noticed your step pattern.” shit, you thought. of course he did. you slowly emerged from behind the plants you were hiding, not caring about the leaves rustling and the branches cracking under your feet. “yeah, it’s me”, you confirmed. you hesitantly approached him from behind, trying to not get too close as you didn’t want to intrude his space. neteyam lowered his head, still having his back turned to you, as you confessed, “i wanted to talk.” “well, but I don’t want to talk”, he requited. even though he was so quiet he was almost whispering, which was why you could barely hear him, you noticed how he sounded hurt, disappointment tinting his voice. “my love, you’ve been avoiding me for days know. i don’t know what i did wrong or how and why i hurt you. so could you please talk to me so that we can resolve this together?”, you asked gently, trying to stay diplomatic, even though anger was boiling within you due to his unfair treatment of you. “you truly don’t know what’s going on, do you?”, he snorted, but shortly after admitted, “to be fair i don’t even know what got into me myself.” “no, doofus! of course i don’t know what’s going. you didn’t say a word, just blatantly decided to avoid me.”

you finally dared to come closer, now standing directly behind neteyam’s back, putting on of your hands on his shoulder and slowly turning him around. “talk to me”, you encouraged him. neteyam sighed, putting his forehead against yours and taking your hands into his, stroking his thumbs along your knuckles. “it’s him. i know it’s irrational as he has always been here and he always will. nothing is ever going to change anything about that.” it took you a second before you understood who or what your boyfriend was talking about – ‘anoa. the look in your eyes became soft. “oh, yawne”, you whispered, putting one of your hands on his neck, playing with his hairline, and cupping his cheek with the other one, “i love you. so much. nothing is ever going to change about that,” you reassured with a hoarse voice. never in your wildest dreams would you leave neteyam, your fiercest protector and greatest confident. “i needed some more training, okay? and i knew you were busy. there is so little time we have to spend together and i value it too greatly to just waste it on some stupid bow and a stick, alright? that’s why i approached ‘anoa as i knew he would be understanding and gladly help me out.” you noticed how tears dared to escape your boyfriend’s eyes, a state he was seldomly seen in, while he was repeatedly nodding his head, "i guess i just felt useless." your heart broke into pieces as you listened to his words. “you will never be useless. not to this clan and especially not to me. your pain is my pain. so please cheer up, okay? i can’t stand seeing you in all this agony,” you said with the hint of a smile on your face, now tearing up yourself, while gently shaking him to try and cheer him up. neteyam sighed in reliefe, coming to realization that you weren’t going anywhere but sticking right to his side.

© thesecretsoftheuniverse 2023 | all rights reserved. do not repost, republish, steal, translate, modify or claim my work as your own.

#neteyam x reader #neteyam sully x reader #neteyam x female reader #neteyam sully #neteyam sully x female reader #neteyam #neteyam oneshot #neteyam x y/n #neteyam x you #avatar 2009 #avatar 2 #avatar way of water #avatar x reader #avatar the way of water #avatar fic #avatar fluff #avatar neteyam #avatar #neteyam x gn reader #neteyam imagine

[sunnylands-world]

Rockstars and ugly scars

Pairing: Eddie Munson x gender neutral reader

Summary: Eddie knew life was hard for you, but had no idea you had chosen to cope with it the way you had been…

Word count: 944

Warning: mentions suicidal thoughts, depressing, mentions self harm, ANGST TO FLUFF

Universe: strange things

A/n: this Idea was random and kinda a thought I had about having a boyfriend do this for me.

You read the warnings if you continue to read. I'm not to be held responsible.

Comments, reblogs, and inboxes are appreciated and motivational

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You tried to hide it from everyone. Tried to hide the fact that you were slowly ripping yourself apart from the inside;how you'd try to tell yourself you were enough and mattered but every night alone in your bed you'd cry. You'd try to keep quiet even though you knew deep down nobody ever really cared when they saw you cry. You were battling a voice in your head that was very negative and fearful. It was like those drawings you'd see when you search up art for depression or anxiety.

Nobody in your head was trying to continue…

your therapist would give you a list of coping skills, tell you it wouldn't be over in a day, that you had to practice but you didn't want to wait a lifetime to stop being afraid, and didn't want to wait a lifetime for you to be positive about yourself at least sometimes. You're mom would scoff when you talked about your problems and fears

"What are you so afraid of!? Things happen, that's life, get over it!" She'd snap, making you feel alone, like no one understands because you wish It was that easy, wish you could just do things without being afraid.

Once everyone in your life seemed to be as disappointed and frustrated with you as you were, you thought "if I'm that much of a problem why do I bother anymore…"

At first it was hard. You were shocked you did it even regretting it a little.

A little…

"This is what's best so everyone can be happy"

Soon you were cutting so often it didn't hurt until later when you thought about it. No place was left untouched, thighs, wrist, anywhere reachable had a scar and you had to hide them but sometimes you didn't care to

Other days you'd daydream, picture yourself somewhere better, somewhere happy.

You'd touch the trees, grass and admire nature with your favorite song on full volume and for a second you could see a better life.

You're smiling, giggling and feeling free you're not afraid to sing or dance while you walk…

You're truly a main character. Watching your story people feel bad, they care and as you imagine the end you're living happily ever after with your special someone.

Eddie Munson…

Eddie knew something was off with you, he knew you were depressed and what not. He tried his best to be supportive and caring and he did really well because he made you smile and laugh. Made you believe a part of you was in your fantasy stories. He wasn't for everyone and a lot of people didn't like him but you did and he was definitely for you.

He was the one thing that made you not completely fall over the edge. Like you were always running for the cliff but he'd chase after you and pull you to his chest, hiding your view of the cruel world with his long curls as he led you to a better place.

Today was One of those days were you and your boyfriend were in his bed. He was going on about his band as he gently held your hands. You weren't entirely sure what he was saying, not because you weren't listening but because you were admiring him. You had to admit he wasn't what you first thought of for your fairytale hero but nothing in your life ever turned out the way you hoped.

Eddie was better… he was equally soft where he was rough when you touched him, scary looking on the outside but gentle and kind on the inside and even though Eddie wouldn't consider himself the most brave. You knew when he really needed to be a hero he could be…

"Are you listening to me? I feel like this-" you didn't know why he had stopped talking at first until you realized his hand was further up your wrist. He paused as he stared at the scars before you quickly snatched your wrist away…

He looked up at you with teary eyes and hurt and you immediately went to explain but he grabbed your wrist once again pulling it back to see it went farther and was worse than what he saw at first.

"Oh sweetheart, why did you do this to yourself" he said sadly looking at the cuts as his thumb ran over the fading scars

"I-i it's not bad anymore, I swear! Please don't tell anyone Eddie" you pleaded afraid of the consequences of this.

"You listen to me alright?" He said softly as he rubbed at your arm and you nodded "it's only fair you get help but because I love you and this is your choice. I won't say anything, but you have to promise you won't do this again. It hurts me seeing you like this, and it's already painful knowing you're sad so please don't do this anymore. if you think about it remember that you're gonna hurt me too." he says softly, kissing at your wrist.

"Okay" you promise as he continues pressing his lips across your arm you can't help but giggle.

Something about it feels foreign and yet it is so affectionate and tender that you crave it. You pull your arm loose and lean close, hugging him.

Eddie did so much already as your boyfriend without even knowing it so you thought the least you could do was try for him. you knew your life was a mess, if all you could have was your rockstar then you'd hold together the best you could to have him around.

"You and me against the world Eddie"

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©Sunnylands-world this belongs to me, therefore you don't have the right to do anything with my work or ideas without permission.

#eddie my boy #eddie my baby #eddie munson #eddie munson x reader smut #eddie munson smut #eddie munson x fem reader #eddie munson x female reader #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x reader fluff #eddie munson x you #eddie x reader #eddie x y/n #eddie x you #reader x eddie munson #eddie x me #eddie munson x black!reader #eddie my beloved #eddie munson x gender neutral reader #eddie munson x female character #eddie munson x pregnant!reader

[cricketnationrise]

Your banner of “shut up, shut all the way up!!” Makes me laugh every time so may I humbly request: 8:00 pm, the red room, Alex and Henry, no songs for vibes but how about if they didn’t get interrupted? I’m down for all the spice but it’s up to you my dear!!

Ao3-royalhearthuff

i'm glad you laugh, that's one of my favorite quotes from the book its just so perfectly alex. i am SO DOWN for your prompt its ridiculous. have some canon-adjacent making out for your sunday afternoon.

read the rest of the ficlets here

❤️🤍💙❤️🤍💙

8:00pm, red room

Alex might legitimately be going insane — it’s the most likely explanation for how fucking good it feels to be making out with Henry. And they definitely are making out, not just kissing; there’s nothing remotely polite about the way Alex shoved Henry against the wall, nothing PG about Henry’s hands in his hair and clutching his ass. Every rattle of the portrait against the wall as Henry arches into Alex’s touch drives Alex even wilder. The weight of Henry’s leg around his waist might as well be one of those safety bars for a roller coaster — keeping Alex in the moment, on this ride as he and Henry go through loops and twists and down steep hills.

Alex has been breaking apart since January; only Henry’s lips on his, only Henry’s body pressed close, is keeping Alex in one piece now. Each kiss, each thrust of hips, each new place Alex’s hand lands lights a firework inside his mind. He’s really here — in the fucking Red Room, with a party full of diplomats just down the hall — with Henry. 

Henry, who he would have sworn on his mother’s election that he hated just a few months ago. 

Henry, who kissed him under the linden tree and tilted Alex’s axis completely askew.

Henry makes a low noise against Alex’s mouth and Alex drops a hand to Henry’s thigh. He squeezes the hard muscles beneath his fingers reflexively, rewarded with a gasp so thin it’s almost a whimper. Alex can practically feel Henry’s pulse through his suit and he moves his hand higher, closer to the bulge in Henry’s suit pants. Henry’s hand slips out of Alex’s hair (the one on his ass stays firmly in place) and slams down on Alex’s hand, his nails digging in sharply.

Alex stops moving, pulls back just enough to meet Henry’s eyes. They’re both breathing heavily, mouths less than an inch apart. Henry’s eyes are wide in surprised pleasure. Alex slides his free hand inside Henry’s suit jacket, finds the dip of Henry’s waist as if it’s fucking magnetized.

“Tell me to stop and I will,” Alex says, proud of how steady his voice is when he feels so wrecked. 

“Don’t.”

That one word is enough to make Alex’s dick twitch in his pants. He’s captivated by Henry’s flushed cheeks; wonders how far down that blush goes.

“Gonna need you to stop trying to draw blood then,” he murmurs between sucking kisses down Henry’s neck. Henry exhales more shakily than a house of cards built on Jell-o salad, but relaxes the hand trapping Alex’s.

Alex flexes his hand to get some feeling back into it before resuming his task. He brings his lips to Henry’s, kissing him hard, as he finally gets his hand on Henry’s cloth-covered cock. Henry straight up groans into Alex’s mouth and bucks his hips into Alex’s hand, seeking more contact, more friction, just—

“More, Alex, please—”

Alex manages to get Henry’s pants open quickly, only fumbling when Henry nips behind his ear. He doesn’t waste any time working a hand inside Henry’s briefs, wrapping around Henry’s cock; it feels fucking perfect in his hand. Henry pushes into Alex’s grip, establishing a rhythm that matches his racing heart. Henry’s desperation drives Alex wild.

He crowds Henry even closer to the wall, chuckling darkly at the rattle of Hamilton’s frame, and stills Henry’s hips with an arm across his abs.

“Let me.”

“Get on with it, then,” Henry pleads, eyes closed, sweat beading at his hairline, so fucking stunning, and Alex is more than happy to oblige.

It takes Alex a second to find the right angle, but once he does, he starts jacking Henry with fucking intent. Sure, he jerked Liam off, but that was years ago, and he was pretty drunk. This time, he’s stone cold sober — too jumpy during dinner to handle a wine glass. This time, he’s practically on fire from the feel of broad shoulders and strong thighs beneath his hands. This time, it’s Henry — and that, apparently, changes everything.

There’s enough precome leaking from Henry’s cock to make Alex’s strokes smooth, and he wants to record the wet noises for goddamn posterity — proof that he’s the one making Henry feel good, pulling Henry toward his orgasm. Alex doesn’t know what words would spill from his lips if he took them off Henry’s (he’s pretty sure there would be more terms of endearment than he’s comfortable acknowledging), so he doesn’t. He keeps his mouth fused to Henry’s, exploring with his tongue and catching Henry’s moans and hitching breaths before they echo through the room.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Alex knows they’re running out of time. Amy told him five minutes and every second past that is borrowed time. He speeds up his hand and now both of Henry’s legs are around Alex’s waist, caging him in. Alex lets Henry’s hips move as they want to, desperate to get Henry’s hair between his fingers. It’s just as soft as he imagined, so you know, fuck him.

“Christ,” Henry moans against Alex’s lips, “close—”

“C’mon, sweetheart. Do it, come on—”

Henry does, with a whimper that would be a scream if Henry wasn’t clamping his lips shut. Alex gentles his hand, letting Henry come down before detangling their limbs.

“Wait, I can—”

Alex cuts him off. “No time, we’re pushing it already.”

“But, I—”

“You are going to be at least five hundred feet away from me for the rest of the night or I won’t be responsible for my actions. And then you’ll come to my bedroom and return the favor and then some and if you fucking ghost me again, I’ll have you put on a fucking no-fly list, got it?”

“Got it.”

Alex takes a few steps back, straightens his own suit and moves to the door with a last wink at Henry. He sees Henry’s blush get stronger before he slips out and shuts the door behind him with a grin.

#cricket writes #royalhearthuff #ficlet fest 500 #rwrb #red room canon divergence #just a little bitty one #spicy under the cut #and a little hint of heat above the cut

[toxic3mmy]

hiiii ive been rlly obsessed with pjo lately, and this idea's been stuck in my head sooo

a pjo au where reader is a child of eros, and accidentally shoots q with one of the love arrows while practicing archery?? and then he gets a puppy crush and starts following reader around, just a cute romcom :)

woah, this idea sounds awesome! thanks so much for the request babe!! i’ll try my best to satisfy your pjo obsession hehehe

(also, i tweaked some junk like powers of the children of zeus and stuff just to make it easier, JUST PRETEND ITS CORRECT PLZ)

(thinking of adding original art to this IDK GIMME TIME)

prompt: you’re practicing archery and shoot alex, child of apollo, with a love arrow which leads to an accidental crush on you

no warnings! super cute and fluffy and romcom!!

________________________________________

part one ~

[listen at each star *]

it was a quiet spring morning. you were up and ready for your day and you decided that it would be perfect weather to practice your archery skills. you collected your materials and head off to your usual practice area.

you spruce up your target on the beautiful willow tree trunk in front of you and you begin.

you put your things out on your practice table in a neat manner. you play some of your “weird” non mythological music and begin.

**

you relax completely, hold up your bow and with a deep breath in, you let go.

plonk

“god.. that’s just terrible” you mumble to yourself as you spot the arrow almost a foot away from the practice board.

you draw back again and let go.

plonk

“no wonder i need the damn practice” you’re a bit annoyed seeing the arrow land in the grass at the base of the tree but continue to practice.

you draw back again, feeling a slight tingly vibration in your fingertips, and you knew this was a good sign. you were going to hit it right on the bullseye. the moment you begin to exhale, your music makes an odd doppler effect-like sound and it freaks you out a bit. you still absentmindedly let go of the arrow but don’t see where it landed.

“puta madre!”

a blood curdling shriek escapes you. you frantically try to hide from whoever it was that yelled.

a boy with dark hair came up from behind the willow tree and as soon as your eyes met, he holds both his hands up in defeat.

“don’t shoot, please!”

“dude, what the fuck are you doing here?! i almost had a heart attack! ew what’s wrong with your skin?” you made a face of disgust at him

“huh? look, i was just trying to find where that music was coming from and you shot me! like seriously, can you help me get this stupid arrow out of my ass?! god it’s like really deep in my butt meat”

“okay firstly, ew. secondly, ew.”

“im serious, can you give me a hand?” he pleaded, and as you approached him you noticed way too many things at once;

one: his skin was seriously looking freaky

two: he was a child of apollo, a sworn enemy of your eros parents

three: the arrow was really deep in his buttcheek

four: ….

“oh fuck me”

his skin was literally glowing. like… with love and junk.

you look down at the arrow you just removed from him and… oh no, how?!

you shot him with a love arrow. that’s just your luck, huh?

“hey… come here often sweetheart?” he smirked and you seriously had to choke down vomit

“really, that’s what you call flirting? you are such a little virgin boy”

“maybe you can change that” he holds your hand in his and pulls you in closer “maybe you want to put something else in my ass tonight besides that arrow” he smirked once again

you couldn’t believe the words he was saying to you.

you began laughing uncontrollably at his poor attempts at being suave and hot. you bent over laughing, you laughed so hard your abdomen was in absolute pain.

“see? i knew you’d come around, sexy lady” he pulled you up to be chest to chest with him

you quickly pushed him off and dried your tears from laughing so much.

“shut up dude, what even is your name? never mind, we need to get you a cure because i am definitely not going to deal with you and this… love crush thing” you began to collect your things in your backpack and you reached for the same arrow the raven haired menace did, as he was trying to help you.

“my name is alex… but you definitely have permission to call me papi” he said as your touching hands were intertwined in his and you quickly yanked your hand away

“blegh! you seriously need help, you creep! come on, we don’t have time to waste! our parents will absolutely kill us if they see us together” you yanked his arm to follow you and your head snapped at him as you heard a lewd moan come from alex.

“oh yeah, i love it when you’re rough baby” he moaned even louder and you plonked him in the head.

rolling your eyes, you continued to drag him to the only person who could help you out with no hesitation.

it took about fifteen agonizing minutes of walking to your friend thalia’s home as alex would not stop flirting with you and it wouldn’t be that bad of an issue but the dude had absolutely no game so it was just a lot of secondhand embarrassment you were dealing with.

you knocked on thalia’s door and prayed she was in.

thankfully, she opened the door a second later with a sweet smile,

“oh y/n! what a lovely surprise and… um excuse me what the actual frick is going on here??”

you pulled alex in and closed her door hurriedly.

“look man, i was practicing my archery right?”

“uh huh…” thalia replied

“because i simply suck balls at it right??”

“no you don’t darling! you’re a natural beauty and not to mention a talented one at that!” alex sighed, admiring you and inch from your face.

you shoved away his big head with your hand, and continued,

“and well… I SHOT THIS DUMBASS WITH A LOVE ARROW! PLEASE GIVE ME SOME KIND OF POTION THINGY TO FIX IT, PLEASE!” you beg thalia

“oh no! my honey is in distress! fear not, sweet maiden—”

thalia blows a green dust in his face and alex plops down on the ground like a sack of potatoes and he’s snoring away immediately.

“oh my god, thank you so so much! you don’t understand, he was literally like moaning all the way here and he calls that flirting?! he—”

“okay girl, do you need some eepy dust too?? just take a deep breath okay?”

you nod and calm down

“okay, as much as i know you need my help and as much as i want to help you, i can’t. we literally just ran out of the potion for that yesterday and i can’t make any new batches because im missing the main ingredient”

“well that’s okay! tell me where to get it and i’ll go right now and we can fix this whole mess and get rid of the buffoon!”

“no y/n, you don’t understand… the ingredient we need isn’t something you can just go get…”

you looked at her with a really confused face

“the ingredient is uh… spider legs, really weird i know! but you know the all mighty zeus, my pops, yeah he’s not as big and bad as he seems. he’s actually terrified of spiders so he banned them here in our world and i don’t get any spiders in stock until christmas because that’s the only time i can get my guy out here and… yeah”

“are you serious? god damn your dad and his arachnophobia..” i pinch the bridge of my nose in frustration

“yeah well, it’s either wait eight months for this potion or… get your father to undo the love spell”

i sigh and put my head down in my hands, feeling really defeated. what the hell do i do now?

“well… on the bright side, that dust i used on him will have some good effects when used alongside a love spell” thalia offers and you perk up

“wait really?? is he going to stop being so creepy with me?”

“well, maybe? it differs from person to person. but i do know that it most likely will make him act more in tune with his regular personality when he’s into someone, if that helps?” she smiled nervously

“let’s just hope he stops moaning every time i touch him” i say hopefully

“so.. you should probably try telling your dad. it was all a huge accident and i don’t think he’s going to be too upset. yeah he’ll probably give you the old ‘you need to be more responsible’ speech thing but im sure he’ll help you… unless he punishes you by not helping” thalia laughs deviously at the idea

“well thanks anyways, man. also, how long til he wakes up?” you ask, pointing at alex on the floor

“oh, one sec” thalia moves closer to him and kicks him in the balls

alex immediately shoots his eyes open and groans in pain

you look at thalia and the two of you laugh together.

thalia hands alex a pain reliever lollipop as a parting gift and you say your goodbyes to one another.

now it’s just you and alex.. and you were nervous about the way he was going to act with you.

“hey.. i uh, im really sorry about the way i was acting earlier. i seriously was acting super virgin-esque huh? i kinda heard everything you guys were saying even though i was asleep and yeah… but hey, at least now i’m not moaning at you like a harlot right now?” he laughed softly

“that’s so embarrassing that you heard us… but hey, at least you’re somewhat normal again?” you asked and offered him a smile

“i uh.. i never even asked for your name”

“oh, its y/n” you reply in a quiet voice

“that’s a really beautiful name… did i ever mention what my powers were?”

“no actually, you didn’t” you shook your head

“well, can i borrow your bow?” he asks sheepishly

you hesitantly nod and hand him your bow and a normal arrow

he places the arrow in its rightful position and comes up behind you. he’s still holding onto it as he places it in your hands. his arms are completely around you and his head is right next to yours.

“okay, relax. now, you see that small red flag thing on the tree over there? imagine the arrow landing right in the middle. take a deep breath” his hands were atop yours as he pulled the bow back and he whispered almost seductively,

“let go”

you both let the arrow go and it shoots right where you imagined it to. you gulped at how close he was to you. he smelled of pine and cinnamon. it was wonderful..

“you just needed a little push.. you did great y/n” he said in a low voice, still holding onto your hands on the bow

why did you want to lean in and kiss him?

wait, what?!

you immediately pulled away, putting as much space between the two of you as possible.

“y-yeah.. um thank you alex. should we keep going now?” you ask, unable to make eye contact with him

“whatever you’d like to do y/n. i’m honestly just enjoying your presence right now. it almost feels like it’s just you and me here, doesn’t it?”

you didnt know what to say. you agreed completely. you wanted nothing more than to waste your time with alex and his handsome smile and his sweet way with words and—

“y/n? can i show you my other power?” her broke the scary thoughts you were having

“sure”

**

alex began to sing the same song in was listening to earlier, without missing a single beat. how did he even know this song?

he took your hand and sung his heart out to you. you felt a swarm of butterflies flutter at the pit of your stomach. it feels like you were the one that got a love arrow stuck in your butt.

“your voice is beautiful… how do you know that song?” you asked, continuing to walk alongside alex

“well, i heard it a long time ago. sometimes i can hear it in my dreams, too. it’s not music we can listen to here, it’s mortal music i think. how do you know it?” he asked curiously

“i’ve always had an interest in mortal music.. i was actually playing that song this morning when the whole incident happened, i think you may have interfered with the sound waves when you were trying to find where it was coming from”

“that’s right… i guess this is our song then, huh?” he stated, grabbing me gently by the arm as we stopped in our tracks

“yeah, i guess so” your face was gently raised up by alex’s fingertips, forcing you to look into his entrancing brown eyes

“y/n, are you sure you’re not a siren?” alex whispered, his lips practically touching your lips

“w-what?..”

“it feels like you’re luring me to my sweet demise.. and what’s a death sentence without me being given a last meal? please, let me taste your lips before you take my soul away. it would make me feel oh so complete in this bittersweet end” he claimed proudly

with a flutter of your eyes, you shut them softly and gently press your lips against his

you feel his arms wrap around you in a tight but gentle way, and you reciprocated by holding his torso tightly

your hands grip his shirt tightly in fists as alex deepens the kiss, a small whimper leaving his soon to be bruised lips

alex pulls away and says softly,

“i can die a happy man now, y/n”

you had no idea what just happened or how it happened or even why you let it happen???

there was just something about him that lured you in. you wanted to take him in in every way possible, because to consume him would mean to be one.

god, what the hell were you even thinking?

[TO BE CONTINUED]

#alex quackity #alexis quackity #quackity #quackity x reader #pjo #cupid

[vampi-fixx]

ornament

chrollo lucilfer x reader // hunter x hunter // fluff // 1.1k+ words

not me forgetting i had a whole christmas fic for this man. oops. a spruced up repost.

Chrollo has a thief's eye. Wherever he looks is calculated, measured—as if he’s mapping out the quickest escape route, or a clever move to gain the upper hand. His gaze is always shrewd, attuned to endless possibilities. 

Which is perhaps why he catches your shift in mood so quickly.

The two of you are strolling down the main street. Now that the hustle and bustle of Christmas has ended, and people no longer crowd the streets, you brought up the idea of venturing into the nicer part of town to admire the lavishly decorated streets.  

While conversation flows easy between you two, as if often does, your voice dies down once you spot something. Chrollo pauses as well, noticing your attention has been caught by something else: a small, decorative Christmas tree perched in the window of a store, which you stare at with something akin to discontent.

“What’s wrong? Is it not to your liking?”

“Ah.” You're startle; you weren’t expecting him to notice. (How quaint. It's almost as if you don't know him—once he finds something that catches his eye, he wants to study every inch of it.) “I was just thinking. I-It’s nothing.” You wave your hand dismissively. His curiosity piques. “It’s stupid.”

“Tell me,” he says, his voice a saccharine concoction you could spend your entire life indulging in. And you have spent hours getting lost in it, listening to the syllables rolling off his tongue like caramel, sometimes in languages you couldn't hope to understand, yet just as entrancing. You suppose that’s what attracts others to the Phantom Troupe—their leader's subtle yet undeniable charisma, his manner of speaking and carrying himself that entices one's attention long before they realize they've fallen into his web.

Including you.

“People like to... decorate things,” you finally say, working past your trepidation. “They like putting ornaments on trees.”

“Mmhmm."

“Well...” You fiddle with the straps of your bag, needing something to ground yourself. “Ornaments have no practical purpose, though. They’re just there to make things look pretty, right?”

“Hmm, yes. That is their function.” You’ve definitely roused his interest now. He draws closer to your side, his eyes bright with curiosity. The way other people’s minds worked has always amused Chrollo; this isn’t the first intriguing question you’ve asked him. He once told you that’s what drew him to you. 

We both have an insatiable curiosity for the secrets of the world, he said. 

(You wonder, however, in the back of your mind, if this is a Pandora’s box you should leave closed. To open it might change things irrevocably.)

“It just makes me wonder... if... you know, between us... if I’m just--is that all I am to you?” You release the last few words in a rush, with the air of someone voicing something into existence that not even they want to acknowledge.

And it’s true. You feel ashamed that these worries plague you. Chrollo is polite, pleasant, the picture of a good boyfriend. 

But that’s the thing. Perfection is sometimes a curse in itself. He’s too perfect. Uneasily so. Too kind. You can’t help but fiddle with the ribbon neatly binding your relationship, wondering what would happen if you pulled the edges apart. What kind of surprise would you find waiting for you?

“Are you making some strange connection between yourself and a Christmas decoration?” Amusement rings heavy in his tone, and it flusters you further. 

You know that he’s a renowned thief. What possible interest does he have in you? What connections could he gleam from you, a mere civilian?

What if you really are just a pretty, silly thing for him to have on his arm? An alibi, a cover-up?

Chrollo, noting your discomfort, breaks the silence.

“Well...” he says, his tone rich with delight. “You’re forgetting something, dear. Ornaments may have no practical purpose, yes, but they add immeasurable value to a tree. Even the smallest ones.”

“You could say the same thing about a blank canvas,” he continues. “It has no value until an artist paints on it. Then it can sell for millions. Or rather, be coveted by just as many.”

You catch his gaze in the mirror, gleaming with intrigue.

“So, while you are pretty...” he says, using your words from earlier, enjoying the way the compliment visibly flusters you. Reaching out, he brushes a strand of hair from your face, his touch lingering on your cheek. “I would argue that you do have value, if that’s what you’re concerned about."

He’s so smooth. It’s like he knows exactly what to say to ease any worries away, regardless of how silly or foolish you think they are.

Almost like he can read into you too well. 

You try and think of a response to him, you really do. Your mouth opens with a retort before closing once you realize its futility. Nothing you say could even think of topping that. It’s like he leaves no room for doubt in any conversation.

“Oh... well. That's... good?" you say lamely, all too aware of just how in-eloquent your response is compared to his.

He takes the hint, sparing you further embarassment.

“I take it you won’t want to bring back a discounted Christmas tree, however?” His tone is conversational. He's always good at turning the tides of conversation his way.

You wrinkle your nose. “No thanks. It’s a lot of work.”

“Yes... I don’t believe any of the Troupe has the patience to decorate it.” He chuckles. “Not entirely practical, either, if we’re using your terms.”

"No. It really isn't."

He tilts his head. "Of course, if you really wanted a tree, I suppose... I have my own pretty thing to decorate with, right here,” he says, squeezing your shoulder, drawing you close to him. You stiffen at the unexpected gesture.

His eyes shine with mirth, a rare, playful side to him. One that only you’ve seen. “Maybe you can be the topping to my tree. You’d probably outshine every other decoration.”

“Chrollo!” you hiss, feeling your face grow hot. You know he’s only doing this because you’re out in public, and he knows very well of your bashfulness with public displays of affection. It’s why he only pulls them out to ruffle you.

“What’s wrong? You wanted me to humor you at first, but now it looks like you can’t wait to get away from me.” He flashes you an innocent, wide-eyed look, one that you know entirely masks his sadistic streak.

He spends the rest of the day making quips about trees, and you being the star of his. Enjoying every second of your chagrin. Eventually, his musings are loud enough to attract the attention of a tree seller, who decides a couple “so young and in love” like the two you of you should get your own tree, free of charge.

“Well now,” Chrollo glances between you and the tree. “I suppose we can make your dreams a reality—”

“Please no.”

The eyes of a thief he may have. But coupled with the mouth and unrelenting wit of a sadist? A deadly combination that only Chrollo Lucilfer could encompass.

#chrollo x reader #chrollo lucilfer x reader #hunterxhunter x reader #hxh x reader #hxh imagine #chrollo imagine #tati writes

[mixelation]

notes about how fuinjutsu works in plasticity, with some minor spoilers ig

*Fuinjutsu conceptually mirrors how a jutsu would work in a body; they are near universally circular because humans pull from a chakra 'core.'

*Fuinjutsu can therefore (theoretically) mimic any non-elemental ninjutsu and vice-versa. However, some jutsu are considered easier to do by hand and some are easier to do with the assist from paper (because seals help twist your chakra in unnatural ways). A lot of high-powered complicated justu started as fuinjutsu and were adapted to hand-signs later because hand-signs are more convenient for battle.

*Advantages of fuinjutsu:

A trained, steady hand can pull off more complicated jutsu than the user could "by hand" without needing insane Tsunade-level control

Sometimes jutsu take a very long time to execute. Fuinjutsu can shave time off the execution part (even if preparing your seal could take hours of prep time)

You can set up a seal and then walk away

You can easily pass a technique between people for reuse and without having to make sure everyone has specific training (such as a storage scroll!)

Cuts down in variation between jutsu -- very important for research, medical stuff, exploding tags, etc

Most villages have developed a decent number of "plug and chug" seals-- basic barriers, basic exploding tags, etc to make mass production/use by rando ninja without specific training easier

*Disadvantages:

Prep time: even basic bitch seals take minutes to draw (and bigger ones can take HOURS) AND even a small mistake could make it useless or, like, explode. It's not practical for most combat situations, so either you have to carry around a bunch of pre-drawn seals, or you need a way to distract an enemy for however long to make your seal.

Tools requirement: you don't need special paper and ink for fuinjutsu, but it definitely makes it easier, and most ninja don't even know you can free-hand carve a seal into someone's skin as long as you do the right modifications. So for most people, even if you get the rest of your team to distract an opponent while you draw a seal, environmental factors (temperature making ink run, uneven surfaces, limited paper/ink, wrong sized brush on hand, etc) decrease fuinjutsu usefulness.

Takes a lot of time and effort to learn to the degree you can start making your own jutsu, and unlike a lot of other jutsu training, it's very academic in a way that's not necessarily going to help other ninja skills. Most ninja know enough to copy a basic seal, and one COULD argue that in-depth fuinjutsu knowledge corresponds to in-depth knowledge of chakra, but it's not worth it for most ninja

Complexity vs chakra trade-off: the more complex a seal, the more chakra-heavy it is. This can be mitigated by requiring the user to modifying their chakra themselves WITHIN the seal. So in order to do the truly insane techniques with fuinjutsu, you either have to be a chakra powerhouse (or have other ninja do the technique with you) or have very good chakra control, which immediately shoves fuinjutsu into the "not worth it" category for most people

*For Tori, my concept is she sort of..... just breaks a lot of the "rules"/assumptions? Like, because of the circumstances she's been honing her skills in and because she literally can't do jutsu any other way (and also because people have neglected to tell her she shouldn't be doing this), she's been working very hard on nixing the "tools" requirement. And also (here's the spoilery part) she's ramping up to getting really into using non-humans as her chakra source, to nix the complexity vs chakra trade-off. yeah it takes more math to use tree chakra but also in a forest that means basically unlimited chakra

i really want to mirror that last part with her telling orochimaru about how most biological advances in our world is just hijacking other organism's evolutionary adaptations, because it sort of gives an explanation for why her way of thinking is different enough she comes up with alternate solutions............ i don't really like when SIs come up with some new revolutionary thing and they're just like "oh, i guess i'm just the first person to do this because i'm really smart /shrug" and there's NO reasoning for why some equally smart person hasn't already come up with it >.> Tori's attitude towards the natural world is "yeah, if bacteria naturally clipping out pieces of virus genomes leads to human gene editing techniques, why WOULDN'T i be able to hijack someone else's chakra?" which is very different from the attitudes we see in canon, aside from whatever senjutsu is (so like, what se's doing has a BASIS in what other have done, but it's considered very niche sage stuff)

reborn au kushina, watching tori do something with a tree in a time of great need: oh no. ooooh no. oh no

#fic: plasticity

[schmooplesboop]

Toffee Apple

Pairing: Alex X Male farmer/player

Rating: Teen

For the past couple of years Alex had skipped out on Spirit’s Eve. It had gotten pretty stale. Fake plastic hedge maze, shitty plastic scares, and even shittier food that might as well have been plastic. Just bad all around.

This year, though… on top of keeping his farm afloat Colton had volunteered to grow a huge corn maze on his land for the town’s Spirit’s Eve celebrations. And the rumors had been buzzing around Pelican Town since: Colton had recruited the weird wizard dude who lived in the woods to provide spooks for the haunted corn maze, Gus had been inspired by Colton’s enthusiasm and dug up new recipes for Spirit’s Eve treats, Marnie wanted to set up a hayride for those who wanted a calmer vibe. Everyone was excited to see this year’s festival, Alex included. Even if he hadn’t cared about the event, he had a personal reason to be excited this year. Colton had straight up asked him on a date.

“I may not look it, but I’m a giant scaredy cat. I need a big, strong date to guide me through the maze. You up for it, dude?”

Haley had been staring at him so intensely that Alex could practically hear her brain screaming at him to “Just say yes, you big dope!” For once, he didn’t need her intervening, he’d said yes almost immediately. Colton’s smile and faint blush was worth the awkwardness of Haley standing there looking like she wanted to scream with delight.

Now the big night was here and he was nervous as hell. This was his first real date in a while and his first date with another dude, period.

Alex looked himself over in the full-length mirror in the hall outside his room. He’d chosen to wear a grey hoodie under his old letterman jacket and his cleanest jeans. Hair perfectly coiffed then perfectly re-coiffed, his usual hour-long hair care routine had lengthened into two. He anxiously looked over the cologne Haley had forced into his hand that morning.

“Spiced Orange. Seasonal and sexy!”

He sniffed it warily. It did smell nice… ah, what the hell. He sprayed himself then tossed the bottle through the doorway onto his bed.

Alex wished he had someone other than his grandparents to give their opinion of the end result.

His grandmother was terribly biased, “You always look handsome, dear!”

And his grandfather was not biased enough, “Hair is hair. You look like always do.”

Out of desperation, he’d asked Dusty’s opinion too. “What do you think, boy?” He gently scratched his old dog behind the ears. “How do I look? Underdressed?”

Dusty huffed a quiet doggy noise of reassurance and licked Alex’s fingers.

Alex set his jaw, chiding himself. (It’s a haunted corn maze, not the fucking opera. Just chill.)

It was definitely going to be a cold and spooky night. Alex’s breath misted in the air as he headed out of town toward Gullwing Farm, hands shoved in his jacket pockets for warmth. Fog swirled around his ankles.

Alex’s jaw dropped as Colton’s farm came into view. He’d really gone all out. Orange and purple fairy lights were strung everywhere. Ghost and witch decorations hung from the trees. Menacing scarecrows leered in the fields. Dozens of jack-o-lanterns lined the lane that led into the farm.

Right at the main gate to Gullwing there were two signs, both decorated with childish drawings of different townsfolk being scared by different monsters. Alex recognized Vincent and Jas’s handiwork straight away. One sign said that entry was free, but there was a suggested donation of five dollars. The second sign was slightly ominous, simply stating that the “Ghost Show” was at midnight… whatever that meant. Alex put fifty bucks in the slotted box nailed under the first sign and went through the gate.

Gus had a canopy set up under which he and Emily were busy doling out food and drinks. Trays of toffee apples, buckets of popcorn in three different flavors, ‘devil hot’ potato chips, pumpkin cookies, ‘mini brain’ cake pops, ‘graveyard’ cupcakes, apple punch, and hot cider. It must’ve taken them all day to get things ready.

Haley was hanging out with her sister, looking vaguely bored and eating a cake pop. When she spotted Alex, she gave him a quick once over and a round of brief silent applause. Feeling slightly better having his friend’s approval, Alex waved at her as he went by. The food looked delicious, but Alex was still mostly nerves. He didn’t think he could eat anything right now.

Pierre had set up his stand too, of course, selling Spirit’s Eve t-shirts and decorations. Alex bought a little plastic bobble ghost for his gran. She liked these weird, cheap little things for some reason. She had so many that she’d had to buy an enormous bookcase to display them.

The corn maze loomed in the distance, looking intimidating and surprisingly eerie in the fog and dim, colored light. It really was huge, it would probably take a couple of hours to get through, maybe even more. Alex was impressed by the enthusiasm and effort that not just Colton, but everyone had put into this. The whole town had really pulled together to make things better than before. Colton seemed to have that effect on people, Alex included.

Jodi was standing outside the maze with a tearful Vincent, telling him that it was too scary for him and trying to convince him to check out the more laidback hayride Marnie had going not far away. Sam, Abigail, and Sebastian stood nearby, pushing each other around and laughing.

Sebastian caught his eye and waved. Alex waved back. This is what he’d meant by Colton having an effect on him too. Old Alex dismissed Sebastian as “that weird guy” without a second thought. But when the weather had gotten colder and their morning beach runs had evolved into morning hikes in the mountains, Colton had invited Sebastian to join them sometimes and Alex had been surprised to learn that not only could Seb keep up with them even though he was 95% skinny legs, but he also knew a lot about wildlife (frogs mostly). He’d also discovered that they actually had things in common. They were both really into an old adventure-fantasy comic series that had been all the rage before either of them was born. Sebastian had even lent Alex two of the comics he was missing from his own collection. New Alex had learned not be so fucking judgy. He was liking New Alex way more than Old Alex.

Abigail linked arms with Sam and marched him into the maze. Seb pointed to a little picnic area where people were milling about eating treats, waiting for their turn on the hayride, or just enjoying the atmosphere. Alex could see Colton waiting there, munching enthusiastically on a toffee apple. Willing himself not to blush, Alex nodded his thanks to Sebastian and made his way over.

Colton towered over literally everyone around him and Alex was relieved to see that they had similar outfits on. He was wearing a fleece lined black-and-teal plaid jacket over a dark sweater and faded jeans. Now that it was too cold to surf every day, his tan skin had lost its golden luster and his hair had faded from bleached back to sandy blonde, but Colton was still super hot, to use Haley’s words.

Colton spotted him and quickly swallowed a bite of his apple, “Hi, Alex!” Like Haley, the farmer gave him a once over and Alex felt his chest tighten with anxiety. “Looking very spruce tonight, dude.”

Oh, thank fuck. “Thanks. You’re looking good yourself.” Alex was impressed with how chill he sounded, despite feeling very unchill. “Did you do all this yourself? It looks awesome, I barely recognize the farm.”

“Thanks! But nah, I had a lot of help. Demetrius helped me design the maze, but I did all the planting and watering and maintaining. Vincent and Jas helped with decorating and Marnie’s handling the hayride. Gus and Emily are in charge of the food and drink, of course. Rasmodius also said he’d provide scares for the maze and something called a ‘ghost show’. Not sure what that means, I’m kinda nervous about it to be honest—"

A scream came from the maze, startling Alex and sending a ripple of murmurs through the picnic area.

“I think that’s Maru, poor woman’s been in there for a long time. Even Harvey made it through the maze before she did. We should rescue her if we find her.” Colton finished off his apple and tossed the stick into the trash. “You ready to guide my wussy ass through this maze or would you like some food first?”

“Let’s get our maze on.” Ugh. New Alex still sometimes said mortifying shit.

Colton seemed charmed by it, thankfully, and they entered the maze. Alex didn’t scare easily, but he had to admit it was pretty creepy in here. The corn was so thick you couldn’t see through it, and it rose high over even Colton’s head. The only light in the maze came from the full moon and the fairy lights that occasionally criss-crossed overhead and it was like outside noises were muffled somehow. The ankle-deep fog outside the maze became knee-map inside. Somewhere ahead they could hear Sam whimpering and Abigail calling him a baby.

The first scare that Rasmodius conjured up, maybe literally, came running at them from out of the corn. A skeleton that glowed a sickly green sprinted right for them with arms outstretched. Alex jumped as Colton screamed. The skeleton blew right by them, bony fingers scratching at the farmer’s arm before disappearing into the corn again. Alex’s stomach flipping had nothing to do with the scare and everything to do with Colton grabbing hold of his hand.

“Sorry for making you jump, Alex. Did warn you I was a big ol’ scaredy cat.” Colton sounded self-conscious.

Alex hated to hear it. Didn’t feel right, that someone as awesome as Colton was feeling bad about himself. He gave the farmer’s hand a reassuring squeeze and smiled. “Nothing to be sorry about, dude. Happy to be bodyguard and date tonight.” Or any night.

And Alex played his part well. The wizard’s scares definitely weren’t of the plastic variety. Giant spiders, weird noises in the corn, invisible hands that brushed at their ankles and arms, figures in the fog, drooling red-eyed hounds, big swooping bats, footsteps that ran up behind them with nothing there when they turned. Colton didn’t scream every time, but there was always someone else screaming just out of sight.

By the time they reached the middle of the maze, Alex had one arm wrapped tight around Colton’s waist. The farmer looked around nervously. There was nothing here in the center of the maze except a creepy statue of what looked like a guy with an octopus for a head. Poor Maru screeched again, but it sounded distant. It seemed she might actually get out sometime before dawn.

Colton looked at the faintly glowing display on his watch, “The ‘ghost show’ starts soon. Wanna see what that is before we try making our way out?”

Alex nodded, even he needed a break. “Sounds good.”

The wizard’s ‘ghost show’ started at exactly midnight. Vaguely human-shaped figures, glowing pale blue, drifted up through the corn and started swirling over the maze. Fast, slow, they zipped and twirled overhead. There were a few surprised squawks from the maze dwellers, then a murmur of amazement. Considering what they’d been through already tonight, this was actually kind of… soothing.

(And romantic?) Alex’s brain supplied oh-so-innocently.

No! Don’t be stupi—Alex swallowed thickly. Apparently, Colton agreed with Alex’s brain. He’d turned to face Alex, leaning in slightly. The anxiety in his deep brown eyes had melted into something very close to desire.

(Okay. The hottest man in the valley wants to kiss you, don’t fuck it up. Shit. I can do this. Okay. Fuck. C’mon, Alex, you’re not afraid of ghouls and shit, but you’re afraid of a kiss? Just--)

He blinked. Colton was suddenly angling away, looking a little embarrassed. Belatedly, Alex realized that the other man had been politely waiting for him to lean in too and had taken his getting momentarily lost in his own panicked brain as disinterest. Great. Fucked it up instantly.

“Then unfuck it, doofus!” He heard Haley’s voice so clearly in his mind it was like she was swirling overhead with the wizard’s ghosts. Hoping this didn’t make things even more awkward, Alex slid his arms around Colton’s neck and leaned in. The embarrassment faded instantly. Colton leaned down… and holy shit, they were kissing, the farmer’s body very warm and very firm as it pressed against Alex’s. Colton tasted like toffee apple and he smelled like rain in the woods with a hint of the sea underneath. Then his fingers hooked into Alex’s belt loops to draw him closer and who knew that such a small thing could be so fucking sexy?

They parted, both slightly breathless, as the ghosts above faded out so that near darkness settled over the maze once again.

“That was nice.” Colton murmured.

Alex agreed wholeheartedly. “Yeah, it was.”

He shivered as Colton’s lips brushed against his ear and his fingers tightened in his belt loops. “You smell amazing, by the way…”

Score one for Haley, she’d be pleased to hear it. Alex was trying to form some kind of reply that wouldn’t want to make him shrivel up and die when somewhere to their left they heard the sound of Abigail screaming and Sam laughing long and loud and very donkey-like. Their little romantic moment was over, but not ruined.

Colton’s lips were at his ear once more. “Get me out of this maze alive and I’ll kiss you again.”

If it wouldn’t have ruined the experience for everyone else, Alex would’ve bulled a straight line through the corn and made his own exit.

Oddly, kissing Alex seemed to have bolstered the farmer. He was much less jumpy as they navigated their way out and only screamed twice. Alex felt his ego puff up. Just a bit.

Someplace ahead of them they heard Maru shriek again, but this one was different. It was a scream of triumph, “Heck yeah, I survived! Emily, two cupcakes, please!”

Colton laughed, “Guess she found her way out.”

A few more twists and turns and they found their way out as well, Colton breathing a sigh of relief in the cold night air.

“Thanks, Alex. My hero.”

True to his word, Colton was moving in close again. Alex moved as well, perhaps a bit too eagerly as their noses bumped lightly. Colton only chuckled, tilting his head just a touch more so their mouths slotted together perfectly. Goddamn he tasted and smelled and felt so good. Alex could get used to this…

Afterward they bought some snacks and cider and went to join Maru and a few others in the picnic area. Haley had disappeared, probably went home a while ago. Spirit’s Eve wasn’t really her thing. She’d likely just come to give her sister and Alex some support. With the kids in bed and the last few stragglers exiting the maze, Marnie was dismantling the hayride and loading her ponies into the trailer behind her truck. Alex took a bite of the toffee apple he’d bought, a sheepish grin on his face. He knew it was kinda goofy, but he wanted to relive the taste of Colton’s lips a few more times.

They were halfway through their snack feast when Sam, Abby, and Sebastian emerged from the maze, taunting each other about who was the biggest baby.

“Didn’t hear Seb once so he’s obviously the champ among you three.” Colton called out with a teasing smirk.

Abigail laughed as the trio came to a stop beside their table. “You and Maru had a chorus going.” She teased back.

“Oh dude, yeah, I definitely would’ve dropped dead five feet into the maze without Alex to protect me.”

Alex’s cheeks flushed as he felt Colton’s hand slide over his wrist. Abby and Sam’s eyebrows raised in surprised, Sebastian just looked smug that he’d known something his friends hadn’t. Old Alex would’ve cared, probably too much. New Alex didn’t give a fuck.

He just smiled and gave Colton a nudge with his elbow. “Don’t sell yourself short, you didn’t shit yourself on the way out.”

The five of them laughed together. It felt nice.

“Walk me home?” Colton asked as they threw their trash in the bin, gesturing to the farmhouse in the distance.

“Yeah, of course.”

Alex felt more sets of curious eyes on them as they walked off hand-in-hand. He still didn’t give a fuck.

As soon as they entered the farmyard Finn, Colton’s dog, came barrelling out of his doggy door and jumped all over Alex, barking excitedly trying to lick his face.

“Oh, I see who his favorite is.” The farmer smirked.

Alex laughed and scratched Finn around the neck, trying and failing to keep all four of the dog’s paws on the ground. “Hey, buddy!”

“Thank-you, Alex.” Colton said as they ascended the stairs onto the porch, Finn racing in circles around both of them. “I had a lot of fun with you tonight.”

A pleasant little knot of warmth formed in Alex’s stomach. “Me too.”

“No hike tomorrow. Gotta take all this stuff down.”

“Not by yourself, I hope?” Finn impatiently butted his head against Alex’s leg and he reached down to pat him.

“Nah. Wizard dude is taking care of the spooky stuff tonight. Marnie, Gus, and Pierre are taking care of their areas tonight too. Tomorrow morning Marnie, Shane, Seb, Sam, and Abby are coming to help with the rest.”

“I’ll help too. What time?”

“Yeah? I thought it’d be kinda tacky to ask my date to help me clean up.” Finn was harassing Colton for pets now, and he ruffled the dog about the ears.

“Nah, I want to help. Just tell me when to show up.”

A fond little smile curved Colton’s lips, “Why don’t you come by a bit earlier than the others? I’ll make pancakes.”

Alex felt his cheeks go red, “…I’d like that.”

“Seven, then?”

“I’ll be here.”

His affection quota satisfied, Finn slipped back through his doggy door into the house. Colton’s affection quota not quite satisfied, he placed a soft kiss on Alex’s jaw. “Goodnight, Alex.”

“See you tomorrow, Colton.”

#stardew valley #stardew valley alex #supportive bestie haley #supportive bestie sebastian #supportive doggo dusty #alex x male farmer #alex x male player #schmooples fic #farmer colton #colton x alex

[thelonesomequeen]

Oh brother he just had to comeback to IG and open up another can of worms by unfollowing her. I’m sure the next few days will be very normal in this fandom.

I think people need to take a step back and look at the bigger picture and not just her in this scenario. He didn’t just unfollow her. He unfollowed EVERYONE with the exception of Jinx and ASP. He didn’t just delete the pumpkin photo, but anything somewhat personal outside of Dodger is gone. Photos and videos of friends, family members, piano videos, nature, trees, his home, etc. EVERYTHING is gone but work and Dodger. My honest opinion, whether you agree with me or not, is that he is now drawing a very strict line between his personal life and his professional life. The changes to his instagram make that very very clear to me. Work and Dodger are all that remain. It isn’t just Alba removed, but everyone that’s been close to him whether they’re a public figure or not is gone. This is definitely an intentional move on his part. For years he has SAID he’s private but never really practiced what he preached. Or didn’t realize how much he was unintentionally sharing through what may have seemed like simple little posts. I think he’s clearly made a move to make his personal life private and mean it this time. 🦎